Use of placebo interventions among Swiss primary care providers

نویسندگان

  • Margrit Fässler
  • Markus Gnädinger
  • Thomas Rosemann
  • Nikola Biller-Andorno
چکیده

BACKGROUND Placebo interventions can have meaningful effects for patients. However, little is known about the circumstances of their use in clinical practice. We aimed to investigate to what extent and in which way Swiss primary care providers use placebo interventions. Furthermore we explored their ideas about the ethical and legal issues involved. METHODS 599 questionnaires were sent to general practitioners (GPs) and paediatricians in private practice in the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland. To allow for subgroup analysis GPs in urban, suburban, and rural areas as well as paediatricians were selected in an even ratio. RESULTS 233 questionnaires were completed (response rate 47%). 28% of participants reported that they never used placebo interventions. More participants used impure placebos therapeutically than pure placebos (57% versus 17%, McNemar's chi(2) = 78, p < 0.001). There is not one clear main reason for placebo prescription. Placebo use was communicated to patients mostly as being "a drug or a therapy" (64%). The most frequently chosen ethical premise was that they "can be used as long as the physician and the patient work together in partnership" (60% for pure and 75% for impure placebos, McNemar's chi(2) = 12, p < 0.001). A considerable number of participants (11-38%) were indecisive about statements regarding the ethical and legal legitimacy of using placebos. CONCLUSION The data obtained from Swiss primary care providers reflect a broad variety of views about placebo interventions as well as a widespread uncertainty regarding their legitimacy. Primary care providers seem to preferentially use impure as compared to pure placebos in their daily practice. An intense debate is required on appropriate standards regarding the clinical use of placebo interventions among medical professionals.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Healthcare Providers’ Awareness and Practice on Electronic Mental Health Interventions for Depression and its’ Utilization Barriers

Introduction: E-mental health interventions can be effective in the early diagnosis and treatment of mental problems such as depression. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the awareness and practice of health care providers on E-mental health interventions and its’ utilization barriers. Method: This descriptive study was conducted in Kerman in 2018. The research population consisted...

متن کامل

Healthcare Providers’ Awareness and Practice on Electronic Mental Health Interventions for Depression and its’ Utilization Barriers

Introduction: E-mental health interventions can be effective in the early diagnosis and treatment of mental problems such as depression. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the awareness and practice of health care providers on E-mental health interventions and its’ utilization barriers. Method: This descriptive study was conducted in Kerman in 2018. The research population consisted...

متن کامل

Use of Placebo Interventions in Primary Care in Poland

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to investigate the behavior, beliefs and attitudes of Polish primary care physicians concerning the use of placebo interventions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A total of 220 Polish primary care physicians (internists, specialists in family medicine and pediatricians) were asked to participate in a questionnaire survey and 171 agreed to do so. The questionnaire was a...

متن کامل

Evaluation of Burnout among Primary Health Care Providers in Markazi Province

Evaluation of Burnout among Primary Health Care Providers in Markazi Province   Zarei Ehsan1, Daneshkohan Abbas1, Khodakarim Soheyla2, Abbasi Reza3* 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 3. Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sci...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • BMC Health Services Research

دوره 9  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2009