Resources for Alternative health approaches teaching strategy
Consumer profile cards
Jin has been suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is constantly tired and has
been off work for up to 3 months. Jin is under the guidance of her GP, yet has been told
there is nothing that can be done to help her condition except to rest, eat healthy and wait
for the body to recover. Jin is getting highly frustrated and wants to seek out alternative
health approaches that could assist with a speedy recovery.
Jenny is in her second trimester of pregnancy and is experiencing nausea and slight
muscle pain in her lower back. She is under the observation of her GP and can not take
any medication due to possible harmful effects on the baby. She wants to find a natural
solution to her pain and nausea.
John and Diane have been attempting to fall pregnant for well over a year. They have
seen fertility specialists and John has been diagnosed with a low sperm count. He has
tried all of the GPs recommendations yet they are still not pregnant. IVF is an option but
they want to make sure they have done everything possible in relation to non-medical/noninvasive techniques before taking that option.
Ahmed has suffered from chronic allergies his whole life. At 36, he has been taking
traditional medicines to treat his skin rashes and hay fever symptoms. He would like to
treat the causes of his allergies and prevent the outbreaks rather than always needing
treatment. He is seeking another alternative to address the problem.
Mohammed has developed acne. He has seen his GP and is taking a medication to help
treat the symptoms. It is working gradually but he would like to see if any other treatments
may be able to clear up his acne permanently.
PDHPE Unit, Curriculum K–12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training
Alternative health care consumer
The Alternative Health Care Expo is being held at the Convention Centre. You have been
suffering from a health care concern for some time (refer to consumer profile card) and are
curious to discover if any alternative health care therapies could be used to assist in
addressing your health problem.
At the Alternative Health Care Expo you will be able to speak to a series of alternative
health care practitioners. To ensure you are able to make an informed decision about the
usefulness of their approaches you need to ask a range of questions to the practitioner.
For example:
 What would I expect from my first therapy session?
 Is this a complementary or alternative health care option?
 What are the benefits?
 Is this safe? Are there side effects or risks I should know about?
 Where did you do your training?
 How long was your training course?
 How long have you been practising?
 Are you a member of a professional association?
 How do you keep up to date with advances in your area?
 Why should this type of therapy be the first choice of therapy?
 What is the cost?
 How long should I take the therapy and how will I know it is working?
Take notes as you move around the Expo collecting the relevant information from each
practitioner. Make a decision about which, if any, alternative health care therapy you would
choose. Share your decision with the class. Provide justification for your decision.
Alternative
health care
practitioner
Benefits for use
PDHPE Unit, Curriculum K–12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training
Concerns about use
Rank out of 5
1 would not use
5 definitely use
Alternative health care practitioner
The Alternative Health Care Expo is being held at the Convention Centre. You are an
alternative health care practitioner who has a stall at the Expo. Your role for the day is to
inform the public of your alternative therapy and answer any questions they may ask.
To assist you in your role as an alternative health care practitioner, you will need to
research the alternative health care therapy, in terms of:
 The nature of the alternative health therapy.
 How it works and what it does.
 Common ailments that patients approach you to treat.
 The benefits of your therapy.
 What a patient should expect in a session.
 Identify any side effects or risks associated with the therapy.
 Who is best suited to use this alternative health care option?
 What qualifications do you have?
 Why should this type of therapy be the first choice of therapy?
 What is the cost?
 Is the treatment effective? How long do you need the therapy for?
 Is your therapy effective in treating the following health issues:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, nausea and muscle pain during pregnancy,
male infertility, acne and allergies.
Useful websites
http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/hype.asp
http://www.anta.com.au/therapies.htm.
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Complementary_and_Alternative_Therapies
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s176462.htm
http://www.bodyinbalance.com.au/html/naturopathy.htm
http://www.womhealth.org.au/factsheets/naturalandalt_infertility.htm
http://www.choice.com.au/goArticle.aspx?id=102615&p=2
http://www.arthritisvic.org.au/pages.asp?d=5A4C5A717251477C7008060A070201
http://www.naturalbloom.com/articles/reiki-63/
http://www.naturalbloom.com/articles/complementary-medicine-27/
http://www.qldcancer.com.au/documents/complementaryalternativetherapies.pdf
http://www.cancer.org.au/documents/Pos_Statem_Complementary_alternative_therapies_
JUN05.pdf
http://www.quackwatch.org/
PDHPE Unit, Curriculum K–12 Directorate
NSW Department of Education and Training