From: Evaluating complex health interventions: a critical analysis of the 'outcomes' concept
1. Treatment results connected to body sensation • Physical effects like physical symptoms diminishing or disappearing (pain, infections, constipation, tension, fatigue, etc.), strengthening of the immune system, etc. • Mental effects like removal of blockages, getting more energy, better sleep, increased quality of life, better general condition, feeling attended to/safeguarded. • 'Side gains' like diminishing or disappearance of other physical symptoms than the ones that the user told the treatment provider about. • Short term responses to the treatment like a change in body odor, increased amount of faeces, change in the odour of the urine, head ache, old symptoms re-appearing. • Long term responses - |
2. Changes in awareness, understanding, insight • Increased bodily consiousness and bodily awareness like being able to listen to and interpreting body signals. • Changes in the knowledge and understanding of, and insight into ones disease/symptoms, including putting into words other ways to understand disease than the biomedical understanding. • Some sort of transformation, understood as an individual, seeking, self integrating, and never ending health-related change process. • Putting into words spiritual aspects and tools for working with spiritual aspects of life. • Greater awareness of one self in different social settings. |
3. Changes in actions and development of new competences in the role as one's own 'disease manager' – especially important for people with chronic disease • Develop a larger room of action and find ones own resources (drive). • Develop tools to handle life situations, including social activities. • Develop knowledge and tools to prevent symptoms and to promote health. |
1. Launsø L: Therapists' effect assumptions and users' own effort-when people with chronic diseases consult conventional and alternative therapists [in Danish with english abstract]. Tidsskrift for Forskning i Sygdom & Samfund [Journal of Research in Disease & Society] 2008, 9: 97–112. |