Homeopathy in the public network of the São Paulo State: facilitating and hindering factors

Abstract

Introduction: The challenge of health care integrity, concerning the functional and structural settlement of care itself, has caused the World Health Organization to propose the consolidation of Conventional Medicine with Alternative Medicine, in order to devise the health care intended for developing countries. Although the offer of non-conventional practice is not exactly recent in the Brazilian basic care, in May 2006, with the publishing of the Ordinance #971, Brazil was given many guidelines referring to the addition of Complementary and Integrative Medicine into the primary level mostly. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that facilitate and hinder the implementation of homeopathy into the Single Health System in some municipalities in the State of Sao Paulo. Methodology: In 2008, the DATASUS index identified towns that had offered homeopathy appointments from 2000 to 2007. These data were submitted to quantitative research that unleashed questions that composed the interviews with the city manager of each town. Data and results were analyzed through quantitative and qualitative research. Results: Out of the 645 municipalities in the State of Sao Paulo, 47 offered homeopathic assistance during that period, and the aiding factors for such offer were related to the presence of homeopaths in the health system; city managers with commitment and availability for developing homeopathy in their towns; the demand of users who are sensitive to the homeopathy proposal; the actions taken by Health Councils; the existence of referral services which support homeopathy therapy; and the low cost of homeopathic medicines. On the other hand, the hindering factors are related to obstacles in hiring homeopaths, as the lack of studies to guide the management; issues regarding the purchase of medicines; the priority given to other medical specialties; and the plain unfamiliarity with homeopathy, as well as the prejudice and difficulties of implementing anything new. Conclusion: The facilitating factors have been subsumed to the difficulties here presented.