Attitudes towards and personal use of complementary and alternative medicine amongst clinicians working in audiovestibular disciplines.

OBJECTIVE: Literature indicates that complementary and alternative medicine is used by patients with auditory and vestibular symptoms. This study sought to determine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine uptake, and examine attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine in clinicians working with audiovestibular disorder patients. METHOD: The Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire and a devised questionnaire about recent and lifetime use of complementary and alternative medicine were used. RESULTS: Fifty-four individuals, including audiologists, ENT surgeons, nurses and rehabilitationists, completed the questionnaires (67 per cent response rate). Lifetime prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine uptake was 44 per cent, and 12-month prevalence was 22 per cent. Uptake was more common in females, but there was no significant difference in use when comparing age, seniority or profession. Attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine were mildly adverse, but sizeable standard deviation indicates wide-ranging attitudes. CONCLUSION: Clinicians working with patients with audiovestibular disorders have a range of attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine. Personal uptake of complementary and alternative medicine was lower than that of the general UK population, but remains sizeable.

Images of otoscopy: rate and extent of non-compliance with good practice standards.

BACKGROUND: The British Society of Audiology has produced clear guidelines as to how otoscopy should be undertaken; however, no nationally recognised guidelines exist for the wider clinical community. Images of otoscopy appear in many books, journals, magazines and websites. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the rate of non-compliance with good practice in images of otoscopy, the seriousness of the breach, and whether this is more common in sites for professionals or the general public. METHOD: Google Images was searched using the terms 'otoscopy' and 'ear examination'. A total of 200 images were identified and collated. The images were reviewed for compliance with good practice standards. RESULTS: Only 12.75 per cent of the images were graded as having no breach of good practice standards. CONCLUSION: Professional websites have a responsibility to show best practice. When choosing an image, the source of the image needs to be carefully considered.