This document summarizes a study on the predictive characteristics of users of alternative medicine. The study found that 6.6% of patients surveyed had visited an alternative practitioner in the previous year. These patients tended to be of middle age, have chronic conditions, have a lower quality of life, greater anxiety and depression, and were heavier users of primary and secondary healthcare. Three factors - self-care and visiting specialists, changing primary doctors, and younger age - explained 66.2% of the variance in alternative medicine use. The conclusions indicate that seeking alternative medicine seems driven by patient characteristics but was not due to dissatisfaction with their primary doctor.

1. PREDICTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF USERS OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE Janko KERSNIK Department of family medicine, University Ljubljana

2. Alternative medicine phenomena Alternative medicine is a world-wide phenomena Utilisation of alternative medicine practices differ from 6% up to 42% of the population in different countries

3. Methods Postal survey of a representative sample of patients from 36 family practices in Slovenia 2160 patients approached A self-administered instruments: EUROPEP, EuroQol, Duke-AD

4. Results - 1 81%response rate 115/1753 (6,6%) reported to visits alternative practitioner in 1997 They were of middle age group , more likely had a chronic conditions , had lower perception of quality of life , had grater presence of symptoms of anxiety and depression and expressed grater needs for emergency treatment , they were heavier users of primary and secondary care, they have changed their GP recently.

5. Results - 2 Three components (the first component ( self-care and visiting specialist of hospital in the same year ), the second component ( change of a personal GP and a higher level of formal education ) and the third component ( younger age ) explained 66,2% of the variance

6. Conclusions Seeking alternative medicine practices seems to be led by patient characteristics but they were not significantly dissatisfied with the GP with whom they were registered lately GPs should inquire their patients about the use of alternative practices especially in patients who are more likely to seek such help