Table 2

CAM recommendation and practice by GPs in Tuscany


Total


N
%
95% CI

Recommendation



Frequency of CAM recommendation to patients



     never
605
42.1
40.5–43.6
     sometimes
803
53.6
52.0–55.1
     often
68
4.3
3.7–4.8
Type of CAM recommended * +



     Acupuncture
599
69.2
67.3–71.0
     Manipulative therapy
421
47.9
45.8–49.8
     Homeopathy
343
38.1
36.1–39.9
     Phytotherapy
214
23.4
21.8–25.0
     Mesotherapy (unconventional medications)
78
9.1
7.9–10.2
     other
175
19.6
18.0–21.1
Reasons for never recommending CAM to patients ° +



     lack of evidence of its effectiveness
275
47.6
45.1–50.0
     not enough knowledge of it
211
33.4
31.1–35.6
     fear it may be dangerous if used as replacement of conventional medicine
121
20.3
18.4–22.4
     believing it is useless
113
19.1
17.2–21.1
     fear of potential side effects
23
3.9
3.0–4.9
     no chance
15
2.4
1.7–3.3
Practice



Frequency of CAM practice



     never
1231
84.8
83.6–85.8
     in the past only
31
2.2
1.8–2.8
     currently
197
12.9
11.9–13.9
Patterns of practice among current CAM practitioners



     occasional
122
62.5
58.3–66.4
     regular, as additional activity
73
36.8
32.8–40.9
     regular, as main activity
2
0.7
0.7–0.7
Type of CAM practised by current CAM practitioners +



     Homeopathy
91
42.7
38.8–46.7
     Phytotherapy
85
41.3
37.3–45.3
     Mesotherapy (with unconventional medications)
57
30.6
26.8–34.7
     Acupuncture
42
23.0
19.4–26.8
     Manipulative therapy
24
13.0
10.3–16.3
     other
64
32.2
28.4–36.1

+ More than one option was possible.

* Among physicians reporting to recommend CAM often or sometimes

° Among physicians who never recommend CAM to their patients

Giannelli et al. BMC Family Practice 2007 8:30   doi:10.1186/1471-2296-8-30