Appendix  A
CHARACTERISTICS OF REFERRALS



  Questionnaires Referral forms
Gender Number % Number %
men 45 32.1 226 34.3
women 95 67.9 432 65.7


  Questionnaires Referral forms
Age Number % Number %
10-19 3 2.5 13 2.1
20-29 17 14.4 104 16.6
30-39 39 33.1 204 32.5
40-49 34 28.8 168 26.8
50-59 12 10.2 61 9.7
60-69 7 5.9 39 5.9
70-79 4 3.4 27 4.1
80+ 2 1.7 11 1.8


Marital status Number %
single 34 24.3
separated 10 7.1
divorced 32 22.9
widowed 6 4.3
married 41 29.3
cohabiting 16 11.4


Employment status Number %
In full time job 20 14.4
In part time job 15 10.8
Self employed 16 11.5
Unemployed, seeking work 19 13.7
Unemployed (ill health) 32 23
Full time student 3 2.2
House wife/husband 21 15.1
Fully retired 13 9.4


Salary
(for those in employment)
Number % % of whole group
under £5,000 15 31.3 9.7
£5-10,000 14 .29.2 9.1
£10-15,000 11 22.9 7.1
£15-30,000 6 12.5 3.9
£30-35,000 1 2.1 0.6
£35,000+ 1 2.1 0.6
Total 106    


 Length of time patient has had problem
Length of time with problem Number %
Less than a week 12 2.7
1-6 weeks 58 13.4
6 weeks to 3 months 38 8.8
3 months to a year 90 20.9
Over a year 232 53.9
Total 430  


 Severity of problem
Severity of problem Number %
very severe 18 12.8
severe 71 49.3
moderate 47 32.8
mild 5 3.6
very miId 2 1.5
Total 143  


 Prior experience of complementary therapies
Number of therapies experienced All practice patients % Comp. health referrals %
0 51 16.1
1 19 19.4
2 12 11.3
3+ 18 53.3


 Amount spent by patients on problem prior to referral
Type of expenses Number of patients Average amount spent
NHS treatment 29 £18.45
Private treatment 21 £92.45
Complementary medicine 16 £342
Private treatment and complementary medicine 39 £750.31
Total number of patients 309 £103.50


 Patient assessment of time of change
When did change happen Number %
Before treatment started 6 4.2
At time treatment started 12 10
During or just after treatment 70 70.1
Other 4 3.2
No info 34  
All reporting change 224  


 Patient belief of cause of change
Was change a result of treatment? Number %
Yes definitely 122 61.3
Yes probably 63 31.7
Not certain 9 4.5
No probably not 1 0.5
No definitely not 3 1.5
Not relevant 1 0.5
No info/no change 25 0.5
Total responding 224  


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