Original scientific paper
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN CROATIA: A TEST OF THREE HYPOTHESES
Željko Pavić
orcid.org/0000-0001-7027-4451
; Odjel za kulturologiju Sveučilište J. J. Strossmayera u Osijeku
Goran Milanović
Abstract
Recent studies show that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is being used by a large number of citizens in Western countries. Based on the previous research and various explanations of this phenomenon, in this study three hypotheses have been tested: postmodern, dehumanization and complement hypotheses. The results of the conducted cross-sectional research based on a nationally representative sample of Croatian population (N=500) revealed that around 15% of respondents had used CAM in the previous five years, and that around 45% of all respondents have more trust in CAM or equally trust CAM and conventional medicine. The data also showed that dehumanization hypothesis can be fully rejected, whilst postmodern hypothesis can be partially and complement hypothesis fully accepted. The test of sociodemographic correlates showed results that are similar to the previous research. These results can be interpreted within Croatian social context, i.e. tentatively explained by specific developments of Croatian health care system. In addition to methodological limitations, this social context hinders the generalizability of the obtained results to some extent.
Keywords
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); alternative therapies; Croatia; health study; postmodern society; social values
Hrčak ID:
132480
URI
Publication date:
22.12.2014.
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