Alternative treatment for infants - a qualitative study about general practitioners experiences and attitudes in Northern Jutland
Author
Langgaard, Monica Lykke
Term
5. Term (Master thesis)
Education
Publication year
2021
Pages
17
Abstract
Baggrund: Komplementær og alternativ medicin (KAM) vinder frem i mange lande, også i Danmark. En undersøgelse fra 2017 fandt, at hvert femte spædbarn i Danmark havde modtaget kiropraktisk behandling. Formål: at undersøge praktiserende lægers erfaringer og holdninger til KAM til spædbørn. Metode: kvalitativ undersøgelse med semistrukturerede interviews af praktiserende læger i Nordjylland, udvalgt for at skabe størst mulig variation. Interviewene blev optaget og transskriberet ordret og analyseret med systematisk tekstkondensering, en struktureret metode til at identificere gennemgående temaer. Resultater: Tre hovedtemaer fremkom: (1) Medicinsk uddannelse giver både fokus på evidens og skepsis over for KAM, og flere læger føler sig usikre eller magtesløse, fordi der mangler solid forskning om KAM til spædbørn. (2) Lægerne stiller klare krav til alternative behandlere: særlige kvalifikationer, ekstra uddannelse i spædbørnsbehandling og tilpasning af behandlinger til den aldersgruppe. (3) Lægerne oplever en holdningsændring over tid, hvor især manuelle behandlinger til spædbørn er blevet mere normaliseret i befolkningen og blandt nogle læger. Lægerne efterlyser mere videndeling i almen praksis om erfaringer og holdninger, så de bedre kan informere forældre. Konklusion: Brug af KAM til spædbørn ser ud til at være stigende i Danmark. Undersøgelsen tydeliggør praktiserende lægers erfaringer og holdninger; generelt har de i Nordjylland begrænset erfaring udover manuelle behandlinger og peger på bekymringer, krav og mulige fordele og ulemper.
Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is gaining popularity in many countries, including Denmark. A 2017 study found that one in five Danish infants received chiropractic care. Aim: to explore Danish general practitioners’ (GPs’) experiences and attitudes toward CAM for infants. Methods: qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with GPs in Northern Jutland, selected to maximise variation. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation, a structured approach to identify common themes across interviews. Results: Three main themes emerged: (1) Medical training fosters commitment to evidence and contributes to skepticism about CAM; several GPs feel uncertain or powerless to advise because research on CAM for infants is limited. (2) GPs set clear expectations for alternative practitioners: specific qualifications, additional training in infant care, and treatments adapted to babies. (3) GPs perceive a shift over time toward greater acceptance of CAM, especially manual therapies for infants, among the public and some doctors. GPs would like more sharing of information among GPs about experiences and attitudes to better inform parents. Conclusion: CAM use in infants appears to be increasing in Denmark. This study clarifies GPs’ experiences and attitudes; in Northern Jutland, GPs generally have limited direct experience beyond manual therapies and point to concerns, requirements, and perceived pros and cons.
[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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