Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for a
Master’s Degree in Technology: Homeopathy, Durban University of Technology, 2007. / The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of registered
chiropractors towards homeopathy in South Africa. The aim was to establish
the knowledge and perceptions of homeopathy and to facilitate greater
understanding, co-operation and communication between chiropractors and
homeopaths.
A questionnaire as a measuring tool was used to carry out this study. The
questionnaire was modified from Langworthy and Smink (2000), Maharajh
(2005) and Tatalias (2006). A questionnaire was mailed to all chiropractors
registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa currently
practising in South Africa. The data for this study was derived from 170 (45%)
questionnaires.
The data obtained was analysed using the SPSS® for Windows™ and Excel®
XP™ statistical package. Descriptive statistics using frequency tables and bar
charts were used to study the data. Correlation analysis was performed using
Pearson’s Chi Square Test, Phi coefficient, Kendall Tau coefficient and
Cramer’s V coefficient to determine whether there was any significant
association between the factors collected in the responses. Dendrograms
were used to analyse questions that had more than one response. On analysing the results it was found that the majority of respondents were
white (89.4%). The majority of respondents were between the ages of 25 and
35 and had been practicing for less than 5 years.
The majority of chiropractors had a high level of knowledge of the status of
homeopathic education in South Africa. 95.3% perceived that homeopathy is
legally recognised in South Africa, 91% perceived that homeopathy has a
scientific basis and 98% perceived that it is a legitimate form of medicine.
The majority of respondents (87.1%) had consulted with a homeopath before
and 12.9% of respondents had not. The majority of respondents perceived
that homeopathy is suitable for use in conjunction with chiropractic treatment
(95.3%).
Communication and co-operation between homeopaths and chiropractors
was considered to be moderate to good (68.2%). The majority of chiropractors
had referred patients to homeopaths and most homeopaths had made
referrals to chiropractors. Most chiropractors gave feedback on referred
patients to a homeopath and said that they would like feedback on a referred
patient.
It can be concluded from the study that chiropractors perceive that
homeopathy has a role to play in the health care system of South Africa.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:dut/oai:localhost:10321/507 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Khoosal, Bharti Gangaram |
| Contributors | Hall, Corné M., Steele, Richard |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 212 p |
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