•  
  •  
 

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Keywords

homeopathy

Article Type

Original Article

Abstract

Background: In the light of pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), identification of level of epidemic preparedness and understanding of homoeopathic practitioners is required to utilise their services in mainstream healthcare effectively. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify knowledge, attitudes and practices of homoeopathic physicians about COVID-19. Methodology: An online cross-sectional survey was undertaken in the midst of the epidemic in India when services of homoeopathic doctors were under consideration. The ten knowledge questions were scored and analysed to identify differences with sociodemographic variables. Responses to the ten questions on attitudes and practices were analysed to identify differences in the domains, differing significantly in knowledge scores. Results: Out of 3901 responses received over 2 days, 3595 were included for analysis. Knowledge scores significantly differed with qualification (graduates – 8.60 ± 1.38, post-graduates – 8.84 ± 1.29 and other qualifications – 8.56 ± 1.31) and years of practice (<10 years – 8.57 ± 1.38 and >10 years – 8.84 ± 1.30). Gender was not identified as a variable to affect knowledge scores significantly. Attitudes and practices were also identified to be more favourable in participants with more than 10 years' experience. Conclusion: Homoeopathic physicians have largely been able to maintain a high level of currency of knowledge, purely on their own accord. Specific aspects related to patient care and practices need to be further enhanced. Practitioners affirmed that homoeopathic medicines need to be validated on a group of patients before mass treatment/prevention can be identified for which immediate access to patients is required.

Digital Object Identifier

10.4103/ijrh.ijrh_35_20

Publisher

Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.