Practice of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Bangladesh

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I could not have completed this research proposal if not for the help of so many to whom I will be forever indebted. Throughout my life, my family, my friends, and my colleagues have always provided me with the genuine care that I find so powerful in motivating success, and this has been especially true for this project.

DECLARATION

I [type your full name here], declare that the following dissertation/thesis and its entire content has been an individual, unaided effort and have not been submitted or published before. Furthermore, it reflects my opinion and take on the topic and is does not represent the opinion of the University.

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ABSTRACT

Research will show that Bangladeshis are utilizing Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) on an ever-increasing, regular basis without sharing this information with their physicians. The purpose of this study is to investigate and determine how CAM fits into the mainstream, biomedical treatment plan by surveying 540 family and general practitioners currently licensed in Bangladesh. Studies will show that family and general practitioners have more contact with larger and diverse groups of patients and tend to be more open minded about CAM than specialists. For these reasons, this research will focus only on the perceptions of this subset of physicians. The election manifesto of the present ruling party states, promise for expanding the scope of modernized alternative medicine (unani, ayurvedic and homeopathic systems), to compliment the health care of the people. Alternative Medicine has been playing a significant role in the health care delivery system in the developing countries of this region from time immemorial. Although tremendous progress has taken place in the field of allopathic medicine particularly in synthetic pharmaceuticals and antimicrobials, the practice and use of alternative medicine is being continued throughout the country even today. Bangladesh due to its climatic condition is a favorable home for growth and use of herbal medicines. The World Health Organization is providing financial and technical support for the improvement of unani, ayurvedic and homeopathic system of medicine in Bangladesh.

TABLE OF CONTENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTii

DECLARATIONiii

ABSTRACTiv

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION6

Background7

Research Questions9

Rationale and Purpose10

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW11

Definition of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)11

Differences between Alternative Medicine and Mainstream Medicine12

Type and Frequency of Usage of CAM14

Controversies17

Current Issues in Communication about Alternative Medicine18

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY20

Research Design20

Sampling20

Instrumentation21

Treatment of the Data22

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION23

Limitations and Research Issues23

Conclusion23

REFERENCES25

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Alternative medicine stems from the professional hegemony of allopathic medicine (conventional biomedicine), which was institutionalized after the Flexner Report of 1910 (Kleinman, 1980). The consequences of the Flexner Report and the movement toward modern scientific medicine led to the marginalization of other medical disciplines. Worldwide, only an estimated 10% to 30% of human healthcare is delivered by conventional, biomedically oriented practitioners (Zhang, 2003). The remaining 70% to 90% ranges from self-care according to folk principles to care given in an organized healthcare system based on an alternative tradition or practice. Although unique for the Bangladesh, CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) is the norm for most other nations. Paralleling Zhang's results, “the World Health ...