Behandlungsbezogene Einstellungen und Behandlungsmotivationbei Patienten zweier komplementärmedizinischer Kliniken

Background: The increasing demand for complementary medicine
indicates a change in attitudes regarding treatment understanding.
Objectives: To investigate the role of attitudes in treatment
motivation. (1) Can the study sample be subdivided into homogenous
groups as regards attitudes toward complementary treatment? (2) How
do these groups relate to motivational variables? Patients and
Methods: Four questionnaires on motivation and attitudes were
administered to 203 patients of two clinics for complementary
medicine. Results were interpreted following Petry's motivational
process model that distinguishes treatment disposition,
preparedness for treatment and treatment activity. Results:
According to a cluster analysis, 3 patient groups could be
identified: `Not- convinced' patients (cluster 1, n = 24)
demonstrated little conviction regarding any aspect of
complementary treatment. `Convinced' patients (cluster 2, n = 103)
showed a high degree of agreement on all three scales, being
highest on `Role of patient'. `Partially- convinced' patients
(cluster 3, n = 70) also evaluated `Role of patient' highest, but
aspects of the `Physician- patient relationship' and the `Treatment
method' were only partly regarded as important. In all clusters,
the pragmatic motive of treatment acceptance was central for the
treatment choice, but was highest in cluster 2. As compared to
cluster 1, a complementary treatment understanding was higher in
patients of clusters 2 and 3 ( highest in cluster 2). Discussion:
Even if the pragmatic treatment motivation was high in all groups,
the central role of treatment attitudes in the motivational process
could be verified. Despite differing attitude structures, a
majority of patients displayed a complementary treatment
comprehension.