Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T09:24:02.320Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Characteristics Associated With Use of Homeopathic Drugs for Psychiatric Symptoms in the General Population

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2011

A. Grolleau ,
B. Bégaud  and
H. Verdoux
A. Grolleau
Affiliation:
Université Victor-Segalen'Bordeaux-2, 33076Bordeaux, France Inserm, U 657, 33076Bordeaux, France
B. Bégaud
Affiliation:
Université Victor-Segalen'Bordeaux-2, 33076Bordeaux, France Inserm, U 657, 33076Bordeaux, France
H. Verdoux*
Affiliation:
Université Victor-Segalen'Bordeaux-2, 33076Bordeaux, France Inserm, U 657, 33076Bordeaux, France Centre hospitalier Charles-Perrens, 121, rue de la Béchade, 33076Bordeaux, France
*
⁎Corresponding author. Tel.: +33 556 56 17 32; fax: +33 556 56 35 46. E-mail address: [email protected] (H. Verdoux).
Get access

Abstract

Objective

To explore which patient characteristics are associated in naturalistic conditions with the lifetime use of homeopathic treatment for psychiatric symptoms.

Method

Lifetime use of psychotropic treatment was explored in a sample of 36,785 persons, participating in the Mental Health Survey in the General Population. Characteristics associated with use of homeopathic treatments, associated or not with conventional psychotropic drugs, were explored using multivariate analyses.

Results

Use of homeopathic treatment for psychiatric symptoms was reported by 1.3% of persons. Younger age, female gender and high educational level were associated with use of homeopathy. Half of homeopathy users presented at least one Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) diagnosis, most frequently anxiety disorders. Their diagnostic profile was similar to that of persons reporting use of anxiolytics or hypnotics. Compared to persons with no lifetime use of psychotropic drugs, persons using homeopathy were more likely to present with a diagnosis of mood disorder or anxiety disorder. Compared to those using conventional psychotropic drugs, they presented less frequently with psychiatric disorders, with the exception of anxiety disorders.

Conclusion

Homeopathic treatment for psychiatric symptoms appears to be used mainly to reduce anxiety symptoms in the general population.

Keywords

Complementary and alternative medicineHomeopathyGeneral populationPsychiatric symptomsAnxiety
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 28 , Issue 2 , February 2013 , pp. 110 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Angermeyer, M.C., Holzinger, A., Matschinger, H.Mental health literacy and attitude towards people with mental illness: a trend analysis based on population surveys in the eastern part of Germany. Eur Psychiatry 2009;24(4):225–232.Google ScholarPubMed
Assion, H.J., Zarouchas, I., Multamaki, S., Zolotova, J., Schroder, S.G.Patients’ use of alternative methods parallel to psychiatric therapy: does the migrational background matter?. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2007;116(3):220–225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bellamy, V., Roelandt, J., Caria, A. Troubles mentaux et représentations de la santé mentale : premiers résultats de l’enquête Santé Mentale en Population Générale. Études et résultats, Direction de la Recherche, des études, de l’évaluation et des statistiques 2004;347:1–12.Google Scholar
Bonne, O., Shemer, Y., Gorali, Y., Katz, M., Shalev, A.Y.A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of classical homeopathy in generalized anxiety disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 2003;64(3):282–287.Google ScholarPubMed
Cialdella, P., Boissel, J.P., Belon, P.Homeopathic specialties as substitutes for benzodiazepines: double-blind vs. placebo study. Therapie 2001;56(4):397–402.Google ScholarPubMed
Eisenberg, D.M., Davis, R.B., Ettner, S.L., Appel, S., Wilkey, S., Van Rompay, M.et al.Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990–1997: results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA 1998;280(18):1569–1575.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eisenberg, D.M., Kessler, R.C., Foster, C., Norlock, F.E., Calkins, D.R., Delbanco, T.L.Unconventional medicine in the United States. Prevalence, costs, and patterns of use. N Engl J Med 1993;328(4):246–252.Google ScholarPubMed
Gasquet, I., Negre-Pages, L., Fourrier, A., Nachbaur, G., El-Hasnaoui, A., Kovess, V.et al.Psychotropic drug use and mental psychiatric disorders in France; results of the general population ESEMeD/MHEDEA 2000 epidemiological study. Encephale 2005;31(2):195–206.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grolleau, A., Cougnard, A., Begaud, B., Verdoux, H.Congruence between diagnosis of recurrent major depressive disorder and psychotropic treatment in the general population. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2008;117(1):20–27.Google ScholarPubMed
Grolleau, A., Cougnard, A., Begaud, B., Verdoux, H.Psychotropic drug use and correspondence with psychiatric diagnoses in the mental health in the general population survey. Encephale 2008;34(4):352–359.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grzywacz, J.G., Suerken, C.K., Quandt, S.A., Bell, R.A., Lang, W., Arcury, T.A.Older adults’ use of complementary and alternative medicine for mental health: findings from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey. J Altern Complement Med 2006;12(5):467–473.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kessler, R.C., Soukup, J., Davis, R.B., Foster, D.F., Wilkey, S.A., Van Rompay, M.M.et al.The use of complementary and alternative therapies to treat anxiety and depression in the United States. Am J Psychiatry 2001;158(2):289–294.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lapeyre-Mestre, M., Chastan, E., Louis, A., Montastruc, J.L.Drug consumption in workers in France: a comparative study at a 10-year interval (1996 versus 1986). J Clin Epidemiol 1999;52(5):471–478.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lecadet, J., Vidal, P., Baris, B., Vallier, N., Fender, P., Allemand, H.et al.Médicaments psychotropes : consommation et pratiques de prescription en France métropolitaine. II. Données régionales, 2000. Rev Med Assurance Maladie 2003;34:233–248.Google Scholar
Lecrubier, Y., Sheehan, D., Weiller, E., Amorin, P., Bonora, I., Sheehan, K.et al.The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). A short diagnostic structured interview: reliability and validity according to the CIDI. Eur Psychiatry 1997;12:224–231.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leray, E., Camara, A., Drapier, D., Riou, F., Bougeant, N., Pelissolo, A.et al.Prevalence, characteristics and comorbidities of anxiety disorders in France: Results from the “Mental Health in General Population” Survey (MHGP). Eur Psychiatry 2011;26:339–345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacLennan, A.H., Wilson, D.H., Taylor, A.W.The escalating cost and prevalence of alternative medicine. Prev Med 2002;35(2):166–173.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Makich, L., Hussain, R., Humphries, J.H.Management of depression by homeopathic practitioners in Sydney, Australia. Complement Ther Med 2007;15(3):199–206.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nilsson, M., Trehn, G., Asplund, K.Use of complementary and alternative medicine remedies in Sweden. A population-based longitudinal study within the northern Sweden MONICA Project. Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease. J Intern Med 2001;250(3):225–233.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pilkington, K., Kirkwood, G., Rampes, H., Fisher, P., Richardson, J.Homeopathy for depression: a systematic review of the research evidence. Homeopathy 2005;94(3):153–163.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rossler, W., Lauber, C., Angst, J., Haker, H., Gamma, A., Eich, D.et al.The use of complementary and alternative medicine in the general population: results from a longitudinal community study. Psychol Med 2007;37(1):73–84.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
StataCorp. Stata Statistical Software: Release 9. College Station, TX; 2005.Google Scholar
Thomas, K., Coleman, P.Use of complementary or alternative medicine in a general population in Great Britain. Results from the National Omnibus survey. J Public Health (Oxf) 2004;26(2):152–157.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trichard, M., Lamure, E., Chaufferin, G.Study of the practice of homeopathic general practitioners in France. Homeopathy 2003;92(3):135–139.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Unutzer, J., Klap, R., Sturm, R., Young, A.S., Marmon, T., Shatkin, J.et al.Mental disorders and the use of alternative medicine: results from a national survey. Am J Psychiatry 2000;157(11):1851–1857.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Wassenhoven, M., Ives, G.An observational study of patients receiving homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy 2004;93(1):3–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Verdoux, H., Bégaud, B.Rapport sur le bon usage des médicaments psychotropes. Paris: Office Parlementaire d’Évaluation des Politiques de Santé; 2006.Google Scholar
Werneke, U., Turner, T., Priebe, S.Complementary medicines in psychiatry: review of effectiveness and safety. Br J Psychiatry 2006;188:109–121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology. About the ATC/DDD system. Oslo: Norwegian Institute of Public Health; 2007.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation. The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders: diagnostic criteria for research. Geneva: World Health Organisation; 1993.Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.