Populational Uses of Complementary Therapies via a Digital Platform in France: Motivations and Needs

Authors: Toledano Alain, Arnaud Solange, Bollet Marc, Lamallem Hanah, Bauduceau Olivier, Darmon Ilan, Boudabous Hanene, Scher NathanielJournal: Journal of integrative and complementary medicinePublished: March 1, 2025DOI: 10.1089/jicm.2024.0519

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.5h-index: 45

Limited EvidenceCross Sectionaln=225251 participants

Insomnia

In Plain Language: sleep, explained

Background: Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) encompasses over 400 modalities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2011, 70% of the European Union's population reported having used CIM at least once, with 25% using it annually. This study examines the engagement, motivations, and satisfaction of users in the French health care system through data from Medoucine, France's largest online platform for complementary therapies. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive analysis was conducted using Medoucine's database from 2017 to 2023, adhering to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Data were sourced from practitioner profiles, appointment logs, and patient comments collected at baseline (day 0, J0) and follow-up (day 30, J30). Survey questions, including "What type of complementary therapy are you seeking?" provided clarity on how CIM therapies were introduced. The study included a "recommendation question" at baseline to evaluate satisfaction: "Would you recommend this practitioner to your friends and family?". Response rates varied between 10% and 67%, depending on the question. Categorical variables were analyzed as percentages. Results: Among 225,251 platform users, 67.7% (152,464) responded to the recommendation question at J0, 15% (33,823) reported health improvements at J30, and 10% (22,596) discovered sustainable health strategies. Most users were women (68.6%). Key motivations included well-being and personal development (17.4%), stress, anxiety, and phobias (17.1%), and sleep disorders (7%). Hypnosis (15%), traditional Chinese medicine (8.4%), and reflexology (6.7%) were the most commonly selected modalities. At J30, 74.8% reported health improvements, with notable benefits for well-being (80.7%) and stress (76.3%). Conclusion: This study underscores the growing demand for CIM therapies in France, driven by a need for stress relief, personal development, and physical and psychological h

Key Findings: what this cross-sectional study found about sleep

✓Approximately 70% of the European Union's population reported having used complementary and integrative medicine at least once by 2011, with 25% using it annually.
✓The study analyzed data from Medoucine, France's largest online platform for complementary therapies, covering appointments and patient satisfaction from 2017 to 2023.
✓Patient motivations and satisfaction with complementary therapies were assessed through survey questions administered at baseline and 30-day follow-up intervals.

What This Means for You

This study shows that complementary therapies are popular in France with mostly positive user satisfaction, but the evidence is based on user self-reporting without a control group, so individual results may vary.

What This Means for Practitioners

Understanding that 68.6% of your clients are likely women and tracking their satisfaction through follow-up questions can help you improve your practice and build referral networks.

Study Design: how this cross-sectional study was run

Sample Size

225251 participants

Read Full Paper↗

Sleep: common questions

What does this study say about sleep?

What did this study find?

Approximately 70% of the European Union's population reported having used complementary and integrative medicine at least once by 2011, with 25% using it annually. The study analyzed data from Medoucine, France's largest online platform for complementary therapies, covering appointments and patient satisfaction from 2017 to 2023. Patient motivations and satisfaction with complementary therapies were assessed through survey questions administered at baseline and 30-day follow-up intervals.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a cross-sectional study and we rate its evidence limited. It covers 225,251 participants. It was published in Journal of integrative and complementary medicine, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.