Individualised medicine from the perspectives of patients using complementary therapies: a meta-ethnography approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Personalised (or individualised) medicine in the days of genetic research refers to molecular biologic specifications in individuals and not to a response to individual patient needs in the sense of person-centred medicine. Studies suggest that patients often wish for authentically person-centred care and personal physician-patient interactions, and that they therefore choose Complementary and Alternative medicine (CAM) as a possibility to complement standard care and ensure a patient-centred approach. Therefore, to build on the findings documented in these qualitative studies, we investigated the various concepts of individualised medicine inherent in patients' reasons for using CAM.

Methods

We used the technique of meta-ethnography, following a three-stage appro

SUBMITTER: Franzel B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3679787 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature