Autonomy and integrative and complementary practices: meanings and relations through the lens of Primary Health Care service users and professionals

This study investigated meanings of autonomy and integrative and complementary practices (ICPs) assigned by health center (HC) patients and professionals and the potential contribution of ICPs to patient autonomy. We conducted a qualitative study based on data obtained from semi-structured interviews recorded and interpreted using content analysis. Eighteen individuals participated in the study, including members of a yoga group, acupuncture service users, and professionals from a HC in Florianopolis, Brazil. The findings reveal multiple understandings of patient autonomy and differences between the ICPs investigated (yoga and acupuncture). This seemed to be related to the fact that the former is more nested in the health promotion logic than the latter, which is more restricted to the clinical approach.

Keywords
Autonomy; Integrative and complementary practices; Yoga; Acupuncture