Research Methods

Question 1

What are the main differences between medical reserach and natural medicine research?

Answer 1

Medical research focuses on:
* Symptom/supression rathern than cause
* Isolating one thing without refrence to the complexity of the bigger picture
* Often about proof to sell something

Question 2

Compare Louis Pasteur to Antoine Bechamp

Answer 2

Germ theory where disease comes form outside the body through microbes etc
Vs
Terrian theory where bacteria/virus are the after effects of disease not the cause

Question 3

What are the weaknesses of biomedical research

Answer 3

• People are not standard but RCT’s assume so
• Cuts out complexity
• Abnormal clinical environment not reflecting real life
• Pacebo effect confounds
• Data can be manipulated/cherry picked.
• Often industry funded

Question 4

Explain the hierachy of evidence in natural medicine

Answer 4

Inverted Pyramid

Practioner and patient observations and experiences

Laws, principles, and conclusions, patient reports, case studies

Patient q’nairres, outcome resaerch, possibly RCT’s and sytematic reviews

Question 5

What is the type of research more suited to natural medicine?

Answer 5

• Qualitative research
• Case studies and research based on the experience of practitioners.
• Patient questionnaires such as CNM Health Concern
• Clinical audits conducted within practices to identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Clinical audits to draw out data on effectiveness of treatemnt. eg: MYMOP forms for all patients with IBS
• Outcome studies to test whether patient needs are being met

Question 6

Give a simple explanation of suppression.

Answer 6

Steroids for Asthma
NSAIDS for pain
Metformin for diabetes

Question 7

What kind of data do we get from clinical audits and outcomes research?

Answer 7

Assesses
* the delivery of care in a particular context.
* the use of resources.
* the benefit to the users – patients.

Can be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of specific therapeutic interventions, but…
Is a multi-disciplinary investigation, capable of covering a variety of issues.

Question 8

What is Ayurveda

Answer 8

A complete system of healthcare and lifestyle medicine including herbal and mineral medicine, diet, exercise and detoxification practices in India prior to BCE 200

Based on observation of the natural world.

Question 9

What are the three basic Ayurveda types?

Answer 9

Vata: thin, dry, cold, mentally agile, can be anxious
Pitta: medium-bodies, physically active, warm, can be bad tempered
Kapha: Stong build, can go to excess weight, solid, dependable, can get depressed.

Question 10

What is TCM?

Answer 10

• An aggregate of systems dating back to BCE400.
• Based on observation of the natural world.
• Includes acupuncture, chinese herbs, nutrition, massage, movement

Question 11

Acupuncture explained

Answer 11

• 12 main channels, the meridiens which move energy through the body to create balance and health.
• The acupuncture point is the area on the skin where the meridien comes ot the surface.
• Needled or pressed.

Question 12

Timeline of imporartant people

Answer 12

1. Hippocartes (BCE 460-377): a system of priorities starting with lifestyle and then if needed medicines and as a last resort invasive interventions.
2. Samuel Hahnemann (1775-1843): Homeopathy and the Law of Similars. Observed that if a healthy person took something that gave them symptoms, give that something to someone who already had those symptoms and it will cure. eg: China and malaria
3. Ignatz von Peczely (1826-1911): Iridology correlating signs and markings in the eye to presenting complaints.
4. Edward Bach (1886-1936): Bach remedies
5. Bernard Jensen (1908-2001): Map of colon reflex points mapped to specific organs. Focused on teh digestive tract as a causative factor for many diseases.

Question 13

Examples of the law of similars?

Answer 13

• Onion for watery eyes/ Snake venom for a snake bite
• Heat stroke needs warm applicatons
• Lukewarm water for fever as cold suppresses and leads top longer healing time

Question 14

What were Edward Bachs theories?

Answer 14

• Observed links between partisular bowel bacteria and personality traits
• could percieve the energy in plants and matched these to the energy of patients.
• observed that patients recovered emotionally, then physically once the right Bach remedy was used.

Question 15

List some of the new natural therapies

Answer 15

• Tooth reflex chart
• Lymphatic drainage
• Foot refelex zones
• Liseisology
• Thermography

Question 16

What is the difference between a meta analysis and and systematic review?

Answer 16

Meta-Analysis - statistiocal procedure for combining data from multiple studies
Systemic Review - A review of all available literautre to analyse the evidence

Question 17

What is outcomes research?

Answer 17

• Assesses the delivery of care in a particular context.
• Can be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of specific therapeutic interventions.
• Assesses the use of resources.
• Is a multi-disciplinary investigation, capable of covering a variety of issues.
• Assesses the benefit to the users – patients.
• Is well-suited to the delivery of care in general, as opposed to the effectiveness of individual medications.

Question 18

Emic vy Etic

Answer 18

Used in Anthropology:
* Emic approach looks into the thoughts and beliefs of local people “from the inside”;
* Etic approach studies them ‘scientifically’ “from the outside”.

These approaches are frequently combines for best resultas