COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS TOWARDS OZONE THERAPEUTIC MEDICAL APPLICATIONS AMONG HEPATITIS C-POSITIVE PATIENTS (ANALYTICAL STUDY OF PHYSICIANS` BEHAVIOR AND PATIENTS RESPONSE TO THERAPIES)

Abstract

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: during the last three decades, Hepatitis C (HCV) has emerged as a new biological threat. Descriptive studies were performed in Egypt, between 1999 and 2008 to evaluate the role of ozone therapy for HCV. Whether the disease was in early or late stage, ozone therapy was found to be an effective, safe and, less expensive method in treating hepatitis C patients, used alone or in combination with drug therapy. STUDY AIMS: to investigate attitudes among physicians and patients towards HCV conditions, predisposing factors and, different therapeutic approaches including ozone therapy. LITERATURE REVIEW: about the disease condition and proposed alternative cures, SUBJECTS AND METHODS a sample of 92 subjects, forty two physicians and fifty patients, interviewed using two sets of questionnaires, via face to face structured interviews at the site of treatment reception in different localities from Cairo and Alexandria, grouped into three categories, (1) ministry of health governmental organizations and university hospitals (2), army medical facilities (3), private clinics and centers. Snowball sampling method for reaching ozone therapy and, conventional therapists interviewed after obtaining permission from the director of each establishment visited. RESULTS: showed negative attitudes towards ozone therapy among our study sample physicians with significant differences when distributed by place of study and physicians specialty. In our study sample 66.7% of physicians believe that ozone is not effective cure and, 69% believe it was banned for pharmaceutical industry conflict of interests. 54.8% assumed that ozone is illegal and unapproved therapy for HCV. Controversially 93.1% of the patients interviewed in governmental organization clinics and university hospitals never received ozone and, 62.5% interviewed in private and army clinics had ozone therapy, and they all had positive attitudes towards ozone therapy for HCV. CONCLUSION: with more research needed to elucidate the debate concerning ozone therapy for HCV. RECOMMENDATIONS: for the integration of ozone therapies and development of an integrative medical act to be shaped, defined and, incorporated as a complementary and/or alternative, traditional and/or innovative, involving nutritional, psychological and social elements, not to be neglected in the medical practice and curricula.