Skip to main content

Site navigation

  • University of Technology Sydney home
  • Home

    Home
  • For students

  • For industry

  • Research

Explore

  • Courses
  • Events
  • News
  • Stories
  • People

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Study at UTS

    • arrow_right_alt Find a course
    • arrow_right_alt Course areas
    • arrow_right_alt Undergraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Postgraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Research Masters and PhD
    • arrow_right_alt Online study and short courses
  • Student information

    • arrow_right_alt Current students
    • arrow_right_alt New UTS students
    • arrow_right_alt Graduates (Alumni)
    • arrow_right_alt High school students
    • arrow_right_alt Indigenous students
    • arrow_right_alt International students
  • Admissions

    • arrow_right_alt How to apply
    • arrow_right_alt Entry pathways
    • arrow_right_alt Eligibility
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for students

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Apply for a coursearrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Scholarshipsarrow_right_alt
  • Featured industries

    • arrow_right_alt Agriculture and food
    • arrow_right_alt Defence and space
    • arrow_right_alt Energy and transport
    • arrow_right_alt Government and policy
    • arrow_right_alt Health and medical
    • arrow_right_alt Corporate training
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Tech Central
    • arrow_right_alt Case studies
    • arrow_right_alt Research
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for industry

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Partner with usarrow_right_alt
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Explore our research
    • arrow_right_alt Research centres and institutes
    • arrow_right_alt Graduate research
    • arrow_right_alt Research partnerships
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for research

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Research centres and institutesarrow_right_alt
  • University of Technology Sydney home
Explore the University of Technology Sydney
Category Filters:
University of Technology Sydney home University of Technology Sydney home
  1. home
  2. arrow_forward_ios ... Newsroom
  3. arrow_forward_ios ... 2020
  4. arrow_forward_ios 08
  5. arrow_forward_ios Caring for chronic conditions

Caring for chronic conditions

7 August 2020

New research examines the person-centred care delivered to patients with chronic health conditions during consultation with complementary medicine practitioners.

Person receiving acupuncture treatment in back

Chronic conditions require various forms of long-term care that holistically address patients’ individual health needs and improve their quality of life.

As such, many patients with chronic conditions seek additional care outside mainstream medicine.

New research examines the experiences of patients with chronic conditions who consult both complementary and conventional medicine.

Led by Hope Foley, PhD Candidate from the Australian Research Collective in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), this project investigated the experiences of patients who use complementary medicine for their chronic conditions.

Foley found that patient perceptions of person-centred care in complementary medicine were more favourable than in conventional medicine.

“Our study demonstrated quite consistently that patients with chronic conditions have strong experiences of person-centred care with their complementary medicine practitioners, often in ways they aren't experiencing with their regular doctor,” Foley says.

“While our sample size was modest, the consistency of the results is very promising.”

The holistic philosophies of complementary medicine are well-aligned with person-centred care, and our study showed that the complementary medicine practitioners are filling those person-centred needs.
Hope Foley, PhD Canditate

The research found that aspects of person-centred care for chronic conditions - including empathy, communication and respectful treatment - were characteristic of clinical consultation with complementary medicine practitioners.

Foley says that this could have a significant effect on patients as well as health care systems.

“The holistic, person-centred approach of complementary medicine professions could present a valuable resource to reduce the public health burden of chronic conditions and improve the quality of life for people living with them.”

“Person-centred care is an ideal paradigm to meet patients’ needs in chronic conditions, while also informing health care providers and public health policy makers who are tasked with managing the impact of chronic conditions on patients, communities and health systems.”

However, further research is required, as patients with chronic conditions require multiple sources of care to manage their complex needs.

“Chronic conditions can be very complex and the long-term duration means these patients need ongoing, multifaceted, personalised care - both to manage the condition itself, and to manage their quality of life,” Foley says.

“We hope that this study will generate more examination of the important role that complementary medicine practitioners can play in meeting the wider health needs of individuals with chronic conditions.”

Read the full article here: Perceptions of person-centred care amongst individuals with chronic conditions who consult complementary medicine practitioners

Find out more about Higher Degree Research at UTS

Share
Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn
Back to News in Health

Related News

  • Understanding woman-centred care in complementary medicine

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

University of Technology Sydney

City Campus

15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

Get in touch with UTS

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

A member of

  • Australian Technology Network
Use arrow keys to navigate within each column of links. Press Tab to move between columns.

Study

  • Find a course
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • How to apply
  • Scholarships and prizes
  • International students
  • Campus maps
  • Accommodation

Engage

  • Find an expert
  • Industry
  • News
  • Events
  • Experience UTS
  • Research
  • Stories
  • Alumni

About

  • Who we are
  • Faculties
  • Learning and teaching
  • Sustainability
  • Initiatives
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Campus and locations
  • Awards and rankings
  • UTS governance

Staff and students

  • Current students
  • Help and support
  • Library
  • Policies
  • StaffConnect
  • Working at UTS
  • UTS Handbook
  • Contact us
  • Copyright © 2025
  • ABN: 77 257 686 961
  • CRICOS provider number: 00099F
  • TEQSA provider number: PRV12060
  • TEQSA category: Australian University
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility