Seminar 9 - Group Work Tasks - Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM)

**Seminar 9 -- Group work tasks** **Topic 1: Definition of CAM, Historical Context, and CAM's Integration into Conventional Medicine** 1. In what ways does *Complementary and Alternative Medicine* (CAM) **differ** from conventional (mainstream) medical approaches, according to Eeva Sointu...

**Seminar 9 -- Group work tasks** **Topic 1: Definition of CAM, Historical Context, and CAM's Integration into Conventional Medicine** 1. In what ways does *Complementary and Alternative Medicine* (CAM) **differ** from conventional (mainstream) medical approaches, according to Eeva Sointu? 2. How can CAM be **situated historically**, and what key cultural or societal changes influenced its development? 3. What is **the status of CAM** in contemporary healthcare, and how has it gained partial acceptance within conventional (mainstream) medical practices? Definition, Historical Context, and Integration of CAM: - Differences Between CAM and Conventional Medicine - Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) differs from conventional medical approaches in several key ways according to Eeva Sointu: - CAM encompasses a diverse array of healing practices with differing diagnostic approaches and understandings of illness - Many CAM practices embrace a holistic conceptualization of health and illness, emphasizing the interconnectedness of mind, body, and sometimes spirit - CAM often allocates a more active role to the client, considering healing capacity as innate and available to those seeking wellbeing - Many CAM approaches stress self-responsibility, self-exploration, and self-awareness as means of attaining fuller wellbeing - CAM frequently emphasizes personal fulfillment and happiness beyond just physiological health - The development of CAM can be situated historically in several key contexts: - The separation of health from the sacred domain during the Reformation, which discouraged folk remedies and rituals - The rise of \"orthodox\" or conventional biomedicine in the 19th and early 20th centuries, supported by licensing laws and the founding of medical societies - The consolidation of institutionalized biomedicine by the 1930s, which led to the exclusion of competing practices - A resurgence in popularity of non-biomedical practices since the late 1960s, partly due to dissatisfaction with conventional medicine CAM\'s Integration into Conventional Medicine: - CAM has gained partial acceptance within conventional medical practices in recent years: - By 2001, nearly half of general practitioners in England provided some access to CAM, with 27% making referrals to CAM practitioners - More than half of office-based physicians in the US recommended complementary health approaches to their patients in 2012 - Some forms of CAM, such as Tai Chi, Yoga, Healing Touch, or Reiki, are often partially integrated into biomedical cancer care settings - However, CAM practitioners in integrated settings often focus on specific areas like chronic complaints, pain management, or alleviating side effects of biomedical treatments - The integration process has been met with criticism from some CAM providers, who are concerned about the loss of self-determination and the appropriation of CAM treatments by conventional medicine **Topic 2: Why Do People Turn to CAM? - Part 1** 1. What are the primary reasons that people express **dissatisfaction with conventional medicine**, leading them to explore CAM? What is the connection to decline of Medical Dominance? 1. Dissatisfaction with conventional medicine: - Inability of biomedicine to effectively manage chronic health conditions. Many people turn to CAM to address ongoing health issues that conventional medicine has failed to alleviate. - Desire for more agency and a proactive role in healthcare, rather than being passive recipients of doctors\' expertise. CAM is seen as offering more patient involvement. - Critique of the depersonalization and bureaucratization of conventional medicine. CAM is viewed as providing more personalized care. - For some minority groups, experiences of racial discrimination in conventional healthcare settings may drive them to seek out CAM as an alternative 2. According to Sointu, how does the **appeal of 'holism'** contribute to the popularity of CAM among patients? 2. Appeal of holism in CAM: - CAM practices often embrace a holistic view that connects mind, body and sometimes spirit - CAM tends to offer \"deeper-level explanations of health and illness, linking psychological and physical dimensions of health\" - Many CAM practices allow for and encourage personal interpretation of illness, resonating with patients\' lived experiences - The holistic approach enables working on emotions through the body in CAM treatment. 3. How does the concept of 'pragmatic agency' empower patients in CAM, and in what ways does CAM support an enhanced **sense of well-being**? 3. Pragmatic agency and enhanced well-being: - CAM users often take a \"purposeful and pragmatic\" approach, mixing and matching CAM with conventional care rather than fully rejecting biomedicine - CAM practices frequently emphasize self-responsibility, self-exploration and self-awareness as means of attaining fuller well-being - The concept of well-being in CAM goes beyond just physical health to include feelings of fulfillment, happiness, optimism, and a sense of control over one\'s life - Many CAM approaches stress the uniqueness of each client and tailor treatments to individual needs, enhancing patients\' sense of agency - CAM use is associated with a stronger sense of control over health and healthcare compared to conventional medicine alone - CAM practitioners often provide personalized services aligned with clients\' individual needs and facilitate the development of personal illness narratives **Topic 3: Why Do People Turn to CAM? - Part 2** 1. How does the ***neoliberal ethos*** shape patients\' choices in CAM, and why is this significant to understanding CAM's growth? 2. What role do **class** and **gender** play in shaping access to and use of CAM, and what patterns emerge across different social groups? 3. What are the social characteristics of a "***Good Practitioner***" in CAM, and why might these traits be particularly valued by patients? **Topic 4: Sociological Reflections on the Healing Produced through CAM** 1. In what ways does CAM contribute to **healing that goes beyond physical health**, according to Eeva Sointu's analysis? 2. How does CAM encourage patients **to 'feel' their bodies**, and why is this sensory connection important in the healing process? 3. What role does social recognition play in the **healing experience** provided by CAM, and how does this compare to **the validation** patients might receive in conventional medicine? **Topic 5: Concluding Thoughts: CAM as Culturally Resonant, Even while Institutionally Marginal** 1. In the EU, **many CAM practices** -- including Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Chiropractic Therapy, Herbal Medicine, and Naturopathy -- are legally practiced. Who typically **covers the costs** for these treatments -- patients/clients, insurance? 2. How does CAM resonate with contemporary cultural beliefs (i.e. broader **lay beliefs)** about health and illness? 3. According to Eeva Sointu, why might CAM **continue to be marginalized** institutionally, even though it is culturally significant?