Anthroposophic health care in Sweden – A patient evaluation

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2010.11.001Get rights and content

Abstract

This study surveyed patients and their satisfaction with an integrative anthroposophic hospital. The patients were followed up by questionnaires up to six months after a stay in a Swedish clinic. Satisfaction with the care, life satisfaction, and health-related quality of life were measured for 53 patients, 48 women, 5 men, with cancer, pain diseases, and psychosomatic problems. Sampling was consecutive and due to regional reasons. The evaluation of patients’ satisfaction from the anthroposophic clinic (AC) was compared to similar questions of patients using conventional hospital care. The stay lasted 7–21 days and was paid by the patients’ county councils. Causes for choosing AC were predominantly a positive attitude towards a holistic health view and expectations on being cared for. Less frequently noted was dissatisfaction with conventional care. Satisfaction with health care given after one month by the AC was sample scored more positively than the highest unit in the conventional clinic. This is important because women in conventional clinic report lower satisfaction. The AC sample consisted of 91% women with an average age of 54 years and a higher level of education compared to the sample from the conventional hospital. Health-related quality of life and life satisfaction was, if not significant, moderately increased during the following six months. The AC initiated a new attitude and change in life habits that stimulated the patients into improving their life style habits and hence their overall health. Still challenging is the gender question. Why do middle-aged, well-educated women experience a need for and a satisfaction in complementary and integrative health care?

Section snippets

Anthroposophy as inspiration for medicine

In the beginning of the 19th Century, Rudolf Steiner PhD (1861–1925) was active in Switzerland as a spiritual teacher, expounding his new thoughts on world, life, and man in a philosophy called anthroposophy. In his early work Intuitive thinking as a spiritual pathA philosophy of freedom,1 Steiner considered his basic thoughts on man’s ability to develop his own thinking to be an instrument for inner and spiritual observations and connections. Based on this work, Steiner developed a view of

Aim and research questions

The frame of reference is interdisciplinary with a caring science and communicative perspective. The study surveys and evaluates the use of anthroposophic medicine for patients in Östergötland county council in southeastern Sweden. The evaluation is conducted from the perspective of patients. Research questions are based on earlier studies12 and Eisenberg’s aspects on evaluations in CAM16:

  • Who is the patient in anthroposophic care?

  • What is reason for the choice?

  • How does the patient get

Methods

The study follows all patients from Östergötland County who checked into the anthroposophic clinic for hospital care in 2006. As a baseline, the patients had to answer questionnaires – SF-36, LSQ, and F1 – when arriving to the clinic. At follow-up (after 1 month), SF-36, LSQ, and F2 were used. SF-36 and LSQ were also sent out after three and six months (Table 1).

Specifically drawn up for this study, the F1 questionnaire primarily includes the background information. Some of the questions are

Sample profile

The sample consisted of 48 women (91%) and five men (9%). Their average age was 54 years, range 31–74 years. Education levels among the patients were as follows: 42% college/university-educated; 49% secondary school-educated; and 9% primary school-educated. The patients’ primary occupation was given as follows: 18% employed, 18% retired, 52% on sick leave or receiving a subsidy for illness. One student and three participants selected the “other” alternative.

In the F1 questionnaire, the patients

Level of satisfaction with care: follow-up one month after treatment

The period during which patients were to receive treatment at the anthroposophic clinic was decided in advance on the basis of a medical evaluation performed by the clinic’s admitting physician. The average duration of stay was 14.4 days. Seven days was the shortest period of treatment and 21 days the longest.

Results from measurement using the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LSQ)

A self-evaluation of the participating patients’ satisfaction with their life situation and health using the LSQ questionnaire21 was performed in line with the design of the study on four occasions: 1) on their arrival at the AC; 2) one month after the first measurement; 3) three months after the first measurement; and 4) six months after the first measurement.

The results have been processed to generate statistical data and are given as mean values for the entire group for each of the different

Results from measurement using SF-36

The health-related evaluation instrument SF-3620 is a questionnaire designed to measure physical and psychological health as reported by the patients themselves. According to the analysis manual, the 36 questions included can be divided into eight categories: Physical function (PF), Role limitations due to physical problems (RP), Bodily pain (BP), General health perceptions (GH), Vitality (VT), Social functioning (SF), Role limitations due to emotional problems (RE), and Mental health (MH).

Discussion

The anthroposophic clinic studied is primarily visited by middle-aged women with severe illnesses that are difficult to treat, such as cancer, fibromyalgia, pain, and burn-out. Patients sought anthroposophic care either as a result of recommendations from conventional healthcare providers (in almost half of all cases), recommendations from their family or friends, or as a result of previous experience of anthroposophy or anthroposophic care. The patients’ motivation for seeking anthroposophic

Author contribution

MA was responsible for the design of the study. Data collection was carried out by authors ASH and AK. The analysis of data was carried out in a team led by MA. The drafting of the manuscript was performed by MA.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the people in Vidarkliniken for their cooperation in this project. The project was funded with research grants from Östergötland County Council 2005.

References (23)

  • R. Steiner

    Intuitive thinking as a spiritual path. A philosophy of Freedom

    (1995)
  • R. Steiner et al.

    Grunderna för hur antroposofin berikar läkekonsten

    (1978)
  • M. Arman et al.

    Anthroposophic health care – different and homelike

    Scand J Caring Sci

    (2008)
  • B. Hanssen

    Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the Scandinavian countries

    Scand J Pri Health Care

    (2005)
  • J.A. Astin

    Why patients use alternative medicine. Results of a national study

    J Amer Med Assoc

    (1998)
  • R. Davidsson et al.

    Psychological characteristics of cancer patients who use complementary therapies

    Psycho-Oncol

    (2005)
  • J.A. Astin et al.

    Breast cancer patients perspective and use of complementary medicine: a study by the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation

    J Soc Integ Oncol

    (2006)
  • H.J. Hamre et al.

    Clinical research in anthroposophic medicine

    Alternat Ther Health Med

    (2009)
  • T. Therkleson

    Anthroposophical nursing

    Austral J Holist Nurs

    (2005)
  • G.S. Kienle et al.

    Anthroposophic Medicine. Effectiveness, utility, costs, safety

    (2006)
  • H.J. Hamre et al.

    Anthroposophic therapies in cronic disease: the anthroposophic medicine outcome study (AMOS)

    (2004)
  • Cited by (16)

    • The Subjective Dimension of Integrative Cancer Care: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Perspectives, Themes, and Observations of Experienced Doctors from the Area of Anthroposophic Medicine

      2018, Explore
      Citation Excerpt :

      Consultations were of sufficient time; communication was dialogue-like; and medical and biographical histories were thoroughly explored. Patients appreciated the holistic approach as opposed to just addressing symptoms, the use of natural treatments, the person-centered approach, that care was tailored to individual needs, that a different outlook on life was offered, and the support for empowerment, self-management, personal learning, and development.28–37 Patients’ perspective assessed with questionnaires in clinical trials investigating MT or AM cancer care described particularly an improvement in coping; overall quality of health; fatigue, exhaustion, and sleep; nausea, vomiting, and appetite; emotional well-being, sadness, anxiety, depression, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

    • Parental attitudes and decision-making regarding MMR vaccination in an anthroposophic community in Sweden - A qualitative study

      2014, Vaccine
      Citation Excerpt :

      At least one outbreak has spread to the general public and one has spread internationally [30,32]. Rudolf Steiner developed anthroposophy as a life philosophy, which includes a holistic view on health, life and spiritual ideas [34,35]. An anthroposophic lifestyle often includes a biodynamic diet, wool fabric for clothing and restrictive use of antibiotics and antipyretics.

    • Ecological health andcaring

      2018, Routledge Handbook of Wellbeing
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text