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Table 3 Knowledge sought from each information source, and how the knowledge is applied [presents results from respondents that reported using this information source]

From: Naturopaths’ mobilisation of knowledge and information in clinical practice: an international cross-sectional survey

Information source used

Knowledge sought from the information source

Application of knowledge from the information source

How a treatment works

How a treatment might benefit my patient

The safety of a treatment for my patient

Understanding of my patient’s health condition

Understanding about treatments of my patient has been prescribed by another health professional

To share with my patient

To share with other health professionals

To inform my own clinical decisions for an individual patient

To share with the general community

To develop clinical practice guidelines or policies for a group of patients

To produce useful research or scientific knowledge

Information published in scientific journals by researchers (n = 354)

279 (78.8)

311 (87.9)

296 (83.6)

242 (68.4)

234 (66.1)

283 (80.2)

187 (53.0)

322 (91.2)

136 (38.5)

117 (33.1)

106 (30.0)

Information gathered from conferences or other professional events (n = 305)

250 (82.0)

282 (92.5)

236 (77.4)

229 (75.1)

184 (60.3)

216 (71.0)

151 (49.7)

279 (91.8)

108 (35.5)

111 (36.5)

49 (16.1)

Information published in modern naturopathic clinical textbooks (published in the last 10 years) (n = 297)

226 (76.1)

260 (87.5)

229 (77.1)

204 (68.7)

135 (45.5)

213 (71.5)

117 (39.3)

262 (87.9)

96 (32.2)

93 (31.2)

54 (18.1)

Information from laboratory tests, pathology, or radiology tests (n = 282)

65 (23.0)

133 (47.2)

123 (43.6)

261 (92.6)

106 (37.6)

228 (81.1)

85 (30.3)

264 (94.0)

21 (7.5)

47 (16.7)

40 (14.2)

Information published in professional journals for clinicians (n = 312)

265 (84.9)

284 (91.0)

262 (84.0)

226 (72.4)

199 (63.8)

240 (76.9)

152 (48.7)

290 (93.0)

114 (36.5)

100 (32.1)

78 (25.0)

Information provided by the patient (n = 252

65 (25.8)

130 (51.6)

114 (45.2)

239 (94.8)

158 (62.7)

106 (42.4)

53 (21.2)

234 (93.6)

19 (7.6)

40 (16.0)

33 (13.2)

Information published in general clinical textbooks (n = 271)

193 (71.2)

205 (75.7)

186 (68.6)

229 (84.5)

152 (56.1)

182 (67.3)

97 (15.9)

210 (67.3)

88 (32.6)

75 (27.8)

56 (20.7)

Information from clinical guidelines (n = 196)

107 (54.6)

145 (74.0)

162 (82.7)

105 (53.6)

109 (55.6)

126 (64.6)

81 (41.5)

174 (89.2)

54 (27.7)

83 (42.6)

38 (19.5)

Information provided by product companies (n = 200)

146 (73.0)

176 (88.0)

166 (83.0)

62 (31.0)

70 (35.0)

132 (66.0)

59 (29.5)

175 (87.5)

41 (20.5)

47 (23.5)

22 (11.0)

Information published in traditional naturopathic clinical textbooks (published more than 50 years ago) (n = 169)

117 (69.2)

153 (90.5)

86 (50.9)

89 (52.7)

59 (34.9)

115 (68.5)

71 (42.3)

142 (84.5)

55 (32.7)

33 (19.6)

26 (15.5)