Women’s use of complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of menopause-related symptoms: A health services research study

.................................................................................................................. xii CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................... 1 1.1 The examination of complementary and alternative medicine: a health services research approach ................................................................................................ 1 1.1.1 Current approaches to complementary and alternative medicine research .................. 1 1.1.2 The contribution of health services research to the examination of complementary and alternative medicine ....................................................................................................... 2 1.1.3 A health services research approach to examining complementary and alternative medicine in the context of menopause care .......................................................................... 5 1.2 Aims and scope of thesis ............................................................................................... 6 1.2.1 Research aim ................................................................................................................ 6 1.2.2 Research questions ....................................................................................................... 6 1.2.3 Significance and scope of thesis .................................................................................. 7 1.2.4 Organisation of thesis................................................................................................... 8 1.3 The wider significance of complementary and alternative medicine ............. 10 1.3.1 Definition of complementary and alternative medicine ............................................. 10 1.3.2 Contemporary context of complementary and alternative medicine ......................... 11 1.3.3 Complementary and alternative provision in the Australian healthcare setting ......... 17