Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2004; 9: 29
From 1997 to 2002, the model department of naturopathy at the Blankenstein Hospital, Hattingen, was evaluated to check out the possibilities and limits of naturopathic treatment within the field of inpatient care.
2307 patients mainly with rheumatic diseases (%) were observed in a cohort-study with four defined times of measurement (hospitalisation, discharge, 3 and 6 months after the end of the in-hospital stay). The mean age was 57.3 years. Main outcome analysis was applied to quality of life [QoL, measured with the Herdecke Quality of Life Questionnaire (HLQ) and SF-36], mood [measured with the Zerssens Mood Scale (Bf-S)], physical complaints [measured with the Giessen Physical Complaint Questionnaire (GBB24)] and pain perception [measured with the German version of McGill’s Pain Questionnaire (SES)] of the patient. Additionally, chi-square automatic interaction detectors (CHAID) tree-based analysis was carried out to identify responding patients from non-responders.
All subscales as well as the total scores of the psychometric test instruments showed highly significant changes (t-test, P < 0.01) between the time of hospitalisation and discharge [effect sizes from 0.92 (HLQ), 0.81 (SES affective), 0.77 (GBB), 068 (Bf-S) and 0.52 (SES sensory)]. Within the follow-up outcome stabilised on a level, which was significantly higher than the level we proceeded from. Age, gender, educational status and social status were identified as main influence variables on patients responding to naturopathic treatment even 6 months after discharge.
The results show a stabilisation of the patients within the follow-up, proving the long-lasting effect of naturopathic treatment, which is of special importance for naturopathy because it is often asserted that a manifestation of a therapeutic effect can above all be recognised in the follow-up. However, clinically relevant parameters (e.g. patient’s constitution or diagnostic parameters) could not be identified to predict the patient’s response in the follow-up.
