The Rise of Alternative Health Care: A Sociological Account

Abstract

This qualitative study focuses on the constellation of sociological conditions that are conducive to the rise of alternative medical care. By all accounts, persons in the West are utilizing alternative forms of health care to a greater extent than at any time during the past half century. Factors accounting for this increase are identified, illustrated and explained. The postmodern culture and its emphasis on relativism and pluralism allow for greater plausibility concerning claims made for alternative care. High levels of discretionary income make out-of-pocket purchases possible. Changing relationships between physicians and patients and an emerging skepticism about conventional medicine's curative power contribute to the expansion of alternative care. The increased privatization of purpose and the corresponding decline of civic culture are consistent with the rise of alternative care as well. Abandoning the socially shared political arena allows for the substitution of individual efforts at self-improvement and alternative forms of health care. The perceived features of alternative medical care are critically examined as a factor driving the popularity of these therapies. Finally, concluding remarks focus on the near-term future of alternative health care.