Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23990027›Full record

SynthesisClinical rheumatology2014

Rheumatologists' opinions towards complementary and alternative medicine: a systematic review.

Rebecca Grainger, Jennifer Walker

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical rheumatology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.7field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Massage therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatology international · 2025
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Rebecca GraingerRehabilitation Teaching and Research Unit, University of Otago Wellington, 23a Mein Street, Newtown, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, 6242, New Zealand, rebecca.grainger@otago.ac.nz.
Jennifer Walker
University of Otago · NZ

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

People with chronic musculoskeletal conditions are high users of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). This systematic review was conducted to evaluate the attitudes of rheumatologists towards CAM and to identify whether these attitudes are affected by the personal or practice characteristics of the rheumatologists. A systematic search of electronic databases identified five eligible studies and one supplementary abstract, published before 1 December 2012. Outcomes measuring rheumatologists' attitudes towards CAM were extracted, as were any analysis of correlations with characteristics of the rheumatologist. Study quality was assessed using the STROBE checklist. Six studies from the USA, Canada and the Netherlands met inclusion criteria, with sample sizes ranging from 101 to 2,000. The studies were of variable methodological quality. Rheumatologists' opinions towards CAM varied according to therapy type. Many held favourable opinions towards bodywork and meditation, believed in their benefits and provided referrals for use. Other therapies, such as energy-based medicine, were regarded with scepticism. There were no demographic characteristics that consistently correlated with CAM attitudes or use. The limited data describing rheumatologist's attitudes to CAM is of varying quality but suggests that attitudes are influenced by the rheumatologist's familiarity with the CAM therapy and the degree to which a therapy has been assessed in a scientific manner. Given the high use of CAM amongst individuals seen in rheumatology clinics, physicians should undertake high-quality research to assess effectiveness of CAM therapy.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelComplementary TherapiesHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeRheumatologyBiofeedback, PsychologyCanadaChiropracticFemaleHumansMaleMassageMeditationMusculoskeletal DiseasesNaturopathyNetherlandsRelaxation Therapy

Identifiers

PMID23990027
OpenAlexW2005814833

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.