The role of alternative healing practices in health care

Oživljanje alternativnih zdravilskih praks je nedvomno pomenljiv pojav sodobnih družb. Zdi se v nenavadnem nasprotju z dosežki sodobne znanstvene medicine, ki razvija vedno nove raziskovalne pristope, diagnostične tehnike inmetode, nudi bolnikom nova zdravila in načine zdravljenja. V članku predstavljamo rezultate javnomnenjskih raziskav v Sloveniji o odnosu ljudi do različnih alternativnih zdravilskih praks, razpravljamo o širših družbenih razlogih in specifičnih vzrokih za oživljanje zdravilstva, ki jih vidimo tudi v nerešenih dilemah razvoja sodobne znanstvene medicine. Zdravilstvo samo po sebi ne predstavlja nevarnosti znanstveni medicini. Je dodatna izbira, ki dopolnjuje ponudbo vsakovrstnih zdravstvenih storitev, pri čemer ostajata javno zdravstvo in medicina dominantna in tudi ohranjata odgovornost za javno zdravstveno varstvo in tudi zaupanje bolnikov. To zaupanje seveda ni stoodstotno, je mandatarno in pogojno. Bolniki ga lahko tudi izgubijo in ga odtegnejo znanstveni medicini, če so razočarani v svojih izkušnjah z uradnimi zdravstvenimi institucijami.The revival of alternative healing methods in modern societies is by all meansa meaningful phenomenon. It appears inconsistent with the achievements ofmodern scientific medicine, as well as with new diagnostic techniques, medicines and therapeutic approaches. We present the results of the opinion survey conducted in Slovenia to establish people\u27s attitude to various alternative healing practices. Next, we discuss wide social reasons and specific causes for the revival of alternative methods of treatment, reflectedin the dilemmas concerning the development of modern scientific medicine. Traditional healing methods as such do not pose a threat to scientific medicine. They represent an additional option of treatment that complements a wide range of medical services, with public health systems and scientific medicine retaining their dominant position in public health, as well as their responsibility for societal health and patients\u27 trust in the medical profession. This trust, however, is not unconditional but comes with amandate. Patients who have had negative experience with formal health care services may lose their trust in scientific medicine