Patients treated by homeopaths registered with the Society of Homeopaths: a pilot study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There is little information on the types of symptoms for which patients request homeopathic treatment from Society of Homeopaths (SoH) homeopaths in the UK. OBJECTIVES: A preliminary study to gain information about characteristics of patients requesting treatment from SoH professional (non-medically qualified) homeopaths--including symptoms and general well-being. RESULTS: 37 homeopaths returned data on 482 patients covering 1419 consultations over a 2 year period. Patients were mostly female and predominantly aged 40-59. CONCLUSIONS: As well as obtaining preliminary data about these patients, this study has also resulted in greater knowledge of audit and research methods in the profession. The results of this preliminary descriptive study will inform a future, larger prospective controlled observational study.