Is there a geography of alternative medical treatment in The Netherlands?

An increasing number of people are using alternative medical care. The lite rature suggests that there are important between place variations, however. This paper tries to assess the extent of these variations and mechanisms b ehind them for the utilization of homeopathy. paranormal healing and manual therapy. Are these variations a matter of level of supply, degree of urban ization, GP characteristics or simply a matter of composition of population s? Data are derived from the Dutch National Survey of General Practice and analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models. Between place variati on in utilization of homeopathy is mainly a matter of composition of popula tions with respect to health locus of control and religion. With respect to paranormal healing, it is exclusively a matter of religion. With respect t o manual therapy, place variations are a matter of individual, GP, as well as area characteristics. but a relatively large amount remains unexplained. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.