Table 1. Use of pure placebos and non-specific therapies among respondents.
| GPs (n = 319) | Internists (n = 305) | Orthopaedists (n = 311) | |
| Use of placebos | |||
| Ever use | 168 (52%; 43 to 54%) | 92 (30%; 25 to 35%) | 60 (19%; 15 to24%) |
| Use in the last 12 months | |||
| - never | 173 (54%; 49 to 60%) | 233 (76%; 72 to 81%) | 259 (83%; 79 to 88%) |
| - 1 to 5 times | 111 (35%; 30 to 40%) | 55 (18%; 24 to 23%) | 30 (10%; 6 to 13%) |
| - 6 to 20 times | 24 (8%; 4 to 10%) | 14 (5%; 2 to 7%) | 13 (4%; 2 to 7%) |
| - 21 to 50 times | 8 (3%; 1 to 4%) | 1 (<1%; 0 to 1%) | 3 (1%; 0 to 2%) |
| - more than 50 times | 3 (1%; 0 to 2%) | 2 (1%; 0 to 2%) | 6 (2%; 1 to 4%) |
| - Median frequency (first/third quartile) among users | 2 (1/5) | 2 (1/5) | 5 (2/10) |
| Use in single patients more than once | 79 (25%; 20 to 30%) | 42 (14%; 10 to 18%)) | 28 (9%; 6 to 12%)) |
| Prefabricated placebo in practice | 18 (6%; 4 to 9%) | 14 (5%; 2 to 7%) | 3 (1%; 0 to 2%) |
| Use of non-specific therapies | |||
| Ever use | 213 (67%; 62 to 72) | 143 (47%; 28 to 38%) | 119 (38%; 33 to 44%) |
| Use in the last 12 months | |||
| - never | 111 (35%; 30 to 40%) | 168 (55%; 50 to 61%) | 200 (64%; 59 to 69%) |
| - 1 to 5 times | 37 (12%; 8 to 15%) | 26 (9%; 6 to 12%) | 22 (7%; 5 to 10%) |
| - 6 to 20 times | 99 (31%; 26 to 36%) | 64 (21%; 16 to 26%) | 45 (15%; 11 to 19%) |
| - 21 to 50 times | 39 (12%; 9 to 16%) | 28 (9%; 6 to 13%) | 12 (4%; 2 to 6%) |
| - more than 50 times | 33 (10%; 7 to 14%) | 19 (6%; 4 to 9%) | 32 (10%; 7 to 14%) |
| - Median frequency (first/third quartile) among users | 15 (10/48) | 20 (10/50) | 20 (10/100) |
| Types of treatments used | |||
| - vitamins | 136 (43%; 38 to 48%) | 81 (27%; 22 to 32%) | 71 (23%; 18 to 28%) |
| - herbal remedies | 135 (42%; 37 to 47%) | 91 (30%; 25 to 35%) | 55 (18%; 14 to 22%) |
| - minerals and micro elements | 112 (35%; 30 to 41%) | 80 (26%; 21 to 31%) | 47 (15%; 11 to 19%) |
| - homeopathic remedies | 106 (33%; 28 to 39%) | 47 (15%; 11 to 20%) | 62 (20%; 15 to 24%) |
| - antibiotics | 108 (34%; 29 to 39%) | 51 (17%; 13 to 21%) | 3 (1%; 0 to 2%) |
| - analgesics | 44 (14%; 10 to 18%) | 17 (6%; 3 to 8%) | 14 (5%; 2 to 7%) |
| Pattern of use in the last 12 months | |||
| - neither | 76 (24%; 19 to 29%) | 133 (44%; 38 to 50%) | 177 (57%; 51 to 62%) |
| - pure placebos only | 35 (11%; 8 to 15%) | 35 (12%; 8 to 15%) | 23 (7%; 5 to 10%) |
| - non-specific therapies only | 97 (30%; 25 to 35%) | 100 (33%; 27 to 38%) | 82 (26%; 21 to 31%) |
| - both | 111 (35%; 30 to 40%) | 37 (12%; 9 to 16%) | 29 (9%; 6 to 13%) |
Numbers are absolute frequencies (percentages; 95%-CI) unless otherwise indicated.