Boudreau Corinne R, Lloyd Vett K, Gould Odette N
Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.
Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.
J Patient Exp. 2018 Jun;5(2):120-126. doi: 10.1177/2374373517736385. Epub 2017 Oct 31.
We aimed to describe the experiences of Canadians who seek diagnosis and treatment for Lyme disease outside of the conventional Canadian health-care system.
Forty-five individuals who had sought treatment for Lyme disease outside of the conventional Canadian health-care system were recruited from Lyme support and advocacy groups across Canada to answer open-ended questions about their experiences.
Respondents sought treatment outside of the conventional medical system due to extensive diagnostic procedures and treatments that did not resolve symptoms. Escalating health concerns, lack of effective treatment, and stigma produced a sense of abandonment and desperation. Respondents accessed alternative forms of care based on the recommendations of peers, yet considerable financial and emotional stress was experienced.
Many individuals with Lyme or Lyme-like diseases are deeply dissatisfied with the care received within the conventional Canadian health-care system and therefore felt both pushed and pulled to seek treatments either from international physicians using different treatment protocols or from alternative medicine providers in Canada.
我们旨在描述那些在加拿大传统医疗体系之外寻求莱姆病诊断和治疗的加拿大人的经历。
从加拿大各地的莱姆病支持和倡导团体中招募了45名在加拿大传统医疗体系之外寻求莱姆病治疗的个人，以回答有关他们经历的开放式问题。
由于广泛的诊断程序和无法缓解症状的治疗，受访者在传统医疗体系之外寻求治疗。不断升级的健康担忧、缺乏有效治疗以及污名化导致了被遗弃感和绝望感。受访者根据同行的建议寻求替代护理形式，但仍经历了相当大的经济和情感压力。
许多患有莱姆病或类似莱姆病的人对加拿大传统医疗体系提供的护理深感不满，因此感到既被迫又被吸引去寻求使用不同治疗方案的国际医生或加拿大替代医学提供者的治疗。
