The prevalence and experience of Australian naturopaths and Western herbalists working within community pharmacies
2011

Naturopaths and Herbalists in Australian Pharmacies

Sample size: 479 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Lesley A Braun, Ondine Spitzer, Evelin Tiralongo, Jenny M Wilkinson, Michael Bailey, Susan Poole, Michael Dooley

Primary Institution: Monash University

Hypothesis

What is the prevalence and experience of Australian naturopaths and Western herbalists working within community pharmacies?

Conclusion

Naturopaths and Western Herbalists are increasingly being utilized in pharmacies, providing valuable services to customers.

Supporting Evidence

  • 24% of practitioners reported working in community pharmacies.
  • 74% conducted specialist complementary medicine sales.
  • 62% provided short consultations to customers.
  • 44% expressed concerns about integration into pharmacy.

Takeaway

Naturopaths and herbalists are working in pharmacies to help customers with health advice, but their experiences can vary based on how pharmacists treat them.

Methodology

An anonymous online survey was conducted among practicing naturopaths and WHM practitioners.

Potential Biases

Self-reporting and self-selection biases may affect the findings.

Limitations

The study could not determine a response rate due to the lack of a national register of practitioners.

Participant Demographics

84% female, 16% male; various educational qualifications in naturopathy and WHM.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.0001

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6882-11-41

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