Canadian family physician Médecin de famille canadien
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Multicenter Study
Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. How do patients who consult family physicians use these therapies?
To determine how a population of Chinese patients consulting family physicians in Vancouver use traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), specifically Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. ⋯ Using TCM in conjunction with visiting family physicians was very popular among this predominantly Chinese study population. Patients with acute conditions, such as influenza, consulted both their family physicians and Chinese herbalists in quick succession. On the other hand, those suffering from more chronic conditions, such as rheumatologic diseases, were more likely to start using TCM after repeated visits to their family physicians.
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To examine the knowledge, opinions, and referral behaviour of family physicians with respect to massage therapy and to explore factors associated with referral. ⋯ Physicians demonstrated a discrepancy between their knowledge of massage therapy and their opinions of, and referrals to, the profession. Physicians who referred patients to massage therapists generally held more positive opinions and had more knowledge of the discipline.