Abstract
Introduction: In Central Europe, homoeopathy has a long history although this was interrupted after World War 2 and renewed only after the liberalisation of society in 1989. This survey aimed to measure experience, practice and views of homoeopathy among Czech general physicians for the adult population and to compare the results with those of the 2001 survey.
Methods: Identical original self-administered questionnaires were submitted to general physicians in 2001 and again in 2012. A convenience sample was used in 2012 whereas a random sample had been used in 2001. 1024 general physicians for the adult population who attended the 2012 Annual Conference of the Society of General Medicine received a questionnaire, and 419 replied (response rate=41%), while in 2001, 720 randomly selected members of the Society for General Medicine received a questionnaire, and 449 replied (response rate=62%).
Differences in age and gender between the samples were corrected by weighted coefficients on the basis of direct demographic standardisation. Results: In 2012, approximately 1/4 of GPs 23% reported training in homoeopathy and 19% use homoeopathy in their clinical practice.
The extent of homoeopathy is similar to other European countries with a tradition of homoeopathy. The effects of gender, age, location or religion turned out to be weak and inconsistent.
No statistically significant changes in pivotal items were found between 2001 and 2012 samples. Conclusion: Homoeopathy has been firmly integrated into Czech primary health care and has remained so despite the worse economic conditions of the population and lack of public support