Homeopathic treatment for chronic disease.

December 26, 2016

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Spence DS, Thompson EA, Barron SJ

 

Homeopathic treatment for chronic disease: a 6-year, university-hospital outpatient observational study.

 

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to assess health changes seen in routine homeopathic care for patients with a wide range of chronic conditions who were referred to a hospital outpatient department.

DESIGN:

This was an observational study of 6544 consecutive follow-up patients during a 6-year period.

 

SETTING:

Hospital outpatient unit within an acute National Health Service (NHS) Teaching Trust in the United Kingdom.

 

PARTICIPANTS:

Every patient attending the hospital outpatient unit for a follow-up appointment over the study period was included, commencing with their first follow-up attendance.

 

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:

Outcomes were based on scores on a 7-point Likert-type scale at the end of the consultation and were assessed as overall outcomes compared to the initial baseline assessments.

 

RESULTS:

A total of 6544 consecutive follow-up patients were given outcome scores. Of the patients 70.7% (n = 4627) reported positive health changes, with 50.7% (n = 3318) recording their improvement as better (+2) or much better (+3).

 

CONCLUSIONS:

Homeopathic intervention offered positive health changes to a substantial proportion of a large cohort of patients with a wide range of chronic diseases. Additional observational research, including studies using different designs, is necessary for further research development in homeopathy.