Consumers of naturopathy and western herbal medicine

Consumers have been a driving force in the growth of complementary healthcare in Western nations. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), in its various modalities, is increasingly used by the Australian public (MacLennan, Wilson & Taylor 2002). International publications have revealed the extent of the rise in consumer use of natural therapies and their complementary use with mainstream healthcare (Fisher & Ward 1994; Eisenberg, Davis, Ettner, Appel, Wilkey, Van Rompay & Kessler 1998; Owen, Lewith & Stephens 2001; Barnes, Powell-Griner, McFann & Nahin 2004). This chapter focuses on consumers of naturopathy and Western herbal medicine (WHM) to understand why people use natural therapies, what they use, and their attitudes and experiences. The information is presented in three parts: (i) a literature review of consumer perspectives on complementary healthcare, with a particular focus on naturopathy and WHM; (ii) the results of a survey that developed a profile of patients attending naturopathy and WHM practitioners in Australia; and (iii) focus group research carried out with Victorian consumers.