Explaining the growth of complementary and alternative medicine

被引:44
作者
Coulter, Ian [1 ]
Willis, Evan [2 ]
机构
[1] Southern Calif Univ Hlth Sci, Samueli Inst Healing, Univ Calif Los Angeles, Sch Dent,RAND Corp, Whittier, CA USA
[2] La Trobe Univ, Sch Social Sci, Bundoora, Vic 3086, Australia
来源
HEALTH SOCIOLOGY REVIEW | 2007年 / 16卷 / 3-4期
关键词
sociology; complementary medicine; alternative medicine;
D O I
10.5172/hesr.2007.16.3-4.214
中图分类号
R19 [保健组织与事业(卫生事业管理)];
学科分类号
摘要
In this analytic review, the authors consider the 'boom' in demand for the services of practitioners of modalities of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The evidence for the increase in demand for these services is reviewed and explanations for this phenomenon considered and evaluated. Two particular explanations are considered: the postmodern thesis and the gendered spirituality thesis, as well as more general changes in society. Finally the paper considers the role of the social sciences in the legitimation and increasing use of CAM. The paper concludes that the trend is likely to continue, as will the role of social scientists in observing and documenting CAM.
引用
收藏
页码:214 / 225
页数:12
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