Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1994 Feb; 138(6): 307-10.

[Use of alternative treatments by HIV-positive and AIDS patients in The Netherlands]

Wolffers I, de MorÃ©e S.

Vrije Universiteit, vakgroep Sociale Geneeskunde, Amsterdam.

OBJECTIVE. To analyse the use of alternative treatments by HIV-positive and AIDS patients. DESIGN. Questionnaire. SETTING. Members of the HIV association, the Dutch association of haemophilia patients, and people under treatment of a certain alternative healer. METHOD. 708 questionnaires were sent out. RESULTS. Of 206 respondents with HIV/AIDS 30.6% used alternative treatments. Of these 24% had already used alternative methods before the diagnosis, 27% started with alternative therapy after the HIV-positive diagnosis, and 13% did so when the number of CD4+ T-cells began to decrease. The treatments were mostly mega-vitamin treatment (51%), psychological techniques (46%) and homeopathy (40%). Half the patients using alternative therapies did so on instigation and with support of their family physician. Many patients (37%) felt better using alternative therapy and 34% were satisfied with it because it gave them the feeling they were actively increasing their own resistance capacity.