Patient-evaluated effect of homeopathic treatment

British Homeopathic Journal (2000) 89, Suppl 1, S46 ß 2000 Macmillan Publishers Ltd All rights reserved 0007±0785/00 $15.00 www.nature.com/bhj

Patient-evaluated effect of homeopathic treatment A Steinsbekk1* 1

Kjùpmannsgt 51, N-7011 Trondheim, Norway

Objectives The main objective was to do a study on how the patients themselves evaluate the effectiveness of treatment by homeopaths on the complaints the patients seeks help for. Secondary objectives were to know more about homeopathic clinical practice, and to ®nd an area of interest for further research.

Methods A non-controlled prospective observational study on 1100 new patients attending 80 homeopaths in Norway is proposed. The patients were asked at their ®rst visit which complaints they sought help for, and how these complaints affected their daily living, scored on a 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS). They were also asked to score their wellbeing on a VAS. After 6 months the patients were sent a follow-up form by mail asking how the complaints affected their daily living now, and how their well-

*Correspondence: A Steinsbekk, Kjùpmannsgt 51, N-7011 Trondheim, Norway.

being was. The inclusion of patients was done from November 1996 to May 1998, and the last follow-up was in December 1998.

Result The study is expected to give the following results.  Knowledge of how the patients themselves evaluate the effect of treatment by homeopaths.  Areas where treatment by homeopathy offers good value for money, and which can be of interest for further research.

Conclusion Studies like this can be used as a valuable tool both in improving the success of homeopathy, and as a basis for further research.