La relación médico-paciente, la medicina científica y las terapias alternativas. / [Physician-patient relationship, scientific medicine and alternative therapies]

ABSTRACT

The objective of this paper is to describe the magnitude and characteristics of the use of complementary therapies in clinical practice. A consecutive sample of 540 outpatients who had sought medical care for the first time at the General Internal Medicine Program of a University Hospital were interviewed. A questionnaire was completed, collecting socio-demographic informations, data on physical and psychological health, perception of physician-patient relationship, self-medication, and beliefs associated with the disease and its treatment. Lifetime prevalence use of alternative therapies was near 55