Preliminary Programme

Tue 13 April
    8.30
    10.45
    14.15
    16.30

Wed 14 April
    8.30
    10.45
    14.15
    16.30

Thu 15 April
    8.30
    10.45
    14.15
    16.30

Fri 16 April
    8.30
    10.45
    14.15
    16.30

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Tuesday 13 April 2010 10.45
F-2 HEA02 Non-standard Medicine
Vestibule, muziekcentrum
Network: Health and Environment Chair: Teemu Sakari Ryymin
Organizers: - Discussant: Teemu Sakari Ryymin
Esmeralda Celeste Mariano, et all. : Cutting of the genital area as treatment for infertility in Tete Province, Mozambique
The paper addresses genital cutting and excision procedures performed by women to treat concerns about possible infertility. Infertility is hardly ever addressed as a public health issue while for many women it is a dramatic problem. From 2005 to 2007, a WHO Multi-country study carried out in Tete Province, Mozambique ... (Show more)
The paper addresses genital cutting and excision procedures performed by women to treat concerns about possible infertility. Infertility is hardly ever addressed as a public health issue while for many women it is a dramatic problem. From 2005 to 2007, a WHO Multi-country study carried out in Tete Province, Mozambique collected qualitative data (208 participants in individual and focus group interviews) and quantitative data (919 women aged 18 – 60 interviewed through a representative household survey) on gender, sexuality and vaginal practices. These data showed the range of genital cutting and excision procedures aiming at sexual enhancement, beauty and therapy for infertility. The prevalence of those who cut for these reasons is high (38.6%). Traditional healers are those who primarily treat women with infertility problems, cutting off “things” from the inside of the vagina and from the perineal area using a blade. This traditional therapeutic method for infertility is not generally perceived as a harmful practice. These results evidence the need for an in-depth understanding of what the biomedical literature has classified as female genital mutilation. From women’s perspectives this classification fails to recognize the nature of the motivations underlying the behaviour. It is crucial to analyse these practices from a public health perspective where different procedures and their health impact related with women can be further explored. The outcome can contribute to reducing the potential risk factors and to identifying new safe interventions within a program of comprehensive primary reproductive health care. (Show less)

Marie Clark Nelson : The Healing Power of Water Hydrotherapy and the Swedish Coastal Sanatoria in the Early 20th Century
In Sweden three coastal sanatoria were established around the turn of the century 1900 to treat so-called scrofulous children, children suffering from various forms of non-pulmonary tuberculosis. These sanatoria, based on European (and also Nordic) models, can be described as seaside sanatoria typical of the period in which they were ... (Show more)
In Sweden three coastal sanatoria were established around the turn of the century 1900 to treat so-called scrofulous children, children suffering from various forms of non-pulmonary tuberculosis. These sanatoria, based on European (and also Nordic) models, can be described as seaside sanatoria typical of the period in which they were created and compared with their European models, but they may also be seen as illustrative of some of the political, social and scientific issues and conflicts of this period.

This paper concentrates on the development of part of the natural treatment model based on good food, fresh air, sun and water. Not only are the debates on the merits of the treatments discussed, but also their relationship to spa culture.

The natural treatment, per se, awakened debate within the Swedish context. Non-pulmonary tuberculosis was most commonly referred to as "surgical tuberculosis," which describes the commonly accepted treatment form. While some medical authorities were at first loathe to recognize other forms of treatment as medically acceptable, a debate emerged in the medical society that resulted in numerous articles arguing the merits (or lack thereof) of various treatments. Within natural treatments the focus was on helio- and hydrotherapy, the latter of which is dealt with here.

Hydrotherapy must be seen, not only in relation to its medical role, but also in relation to various aspects of the spa culture that existed in Europe at that time. All three west coast sanatoria in Sweden were located in areas where spas were located and where an emerging bathing culture and tourism was found. Furthermore, the debates reveal some of the ideological themes of that period of time.

This paper is based on archival material, published reports from the sanatoria, professional journals, government reports and studies, contemporary pamphlets and brochures. Some photographic material is also available. (Show less)

Elise Pattyn : Postmodernism in health: the rising of alternative medicine in Western-Europe
Objective:
Health service use is susceptible to societal trends. The biomedical supremacy has evolved into a dynamic health market, wherein alternative therapies complement the conventional supply of health care. This change is realized thanks to the consumerist behavior of patients nowadays who aspire not only absence of disease, but strive ... (Show more)
Objective:
Health service use is susceptible to societal trends. The biomedical supremacy has evolved into a dynamic health market, wherein alternative therapies complement the conventional supply of health care. This change is realized thanks to the consumerist behavior of patients nowadays who aspire not only absence of disease, but strive for optimal well-being. Those individual attitudes are inspired by the postmodern value pattern. Due to the demystifying of science and the awareness of risks in our society, health services are not taken for granted anymore, but are assessed with a skeptical viewpoint. Thanks to the knowledge society, the responsibility within the medical decision process can be redefined by empowered patients who don’t follow implicitly their doctor’s orders. The self-directed, natural and holistic approach of healing of alternative medicine fits those values. On the country level, the field of health is set as a priority in welfare states. Public funding on health is excessive, in line with private expenditure. Besides, the government facilitates choice in health care by reimbursing alternative therapies in some countries. Based on the Behavioral Model of Andersen (1995), our study considers three components of the use of alternative therapies in case of daily health complaints: medical need, cultural predisposing attitudes and structural enabling national indicators.

Method:
The sample (N= 31 739) is representative of all people older than 15 years old, living in private households in Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Iceland, based on data of the European Social Survey (Round 2, 2004). The hierarchical logistic model is estimated by means of the multilevel program HLM 6.0.

Results:
The odds ratios show that on the one hand, the subjective health status has no impact on the tendency to contact an alternative therapist, neither as the (lower) frequency of visits to a general doctor. On the other hand, the quest for empowerment stimulates the use of alternative medicine, next to dissatisfaction with conventional medicine. The results on the macro-level make clear that financial aspects influence the preference for alternative medicine. Both a higher amount of money spent on health and public reimbursement of alternative therapies facilitate the use. All the analyses were controlled for gender, age, education level and income to avoid composition effects.

Conclusion:
A blend of pragmatic and ideological motives of the eclectic consumers influence the broadening appeal of alternative medicine in the health market, combined with some structural facilitators on the national level. Because medical need is not a determining predictor of health service use, alternative medicine takes part into the commercialization of health as a complement to conventional care, which is legitimized by the institutionalization of alternative medicine into public insurance. (Show less)



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