Classification of complementary and alternative therapeutic approaches: Critically reviewing and improving the Engebretson model, toward a multidirectional approach

Complementary and alternative care approaches, both physical and psychological, have attracted the attention of researchers and patients for over sixty years. Known under the name CAM (complementary and alternative medicine), these approaches encourage scientists to explore new care practices that can complement allopathic medicine. There are few classification models for CAM, aside from the Engebretson model (1998) that we aim to highlight in this work. Our approach includes a critical review of certain aspects of this model and proposes enhancements based on an initial framework that distinguishes scientifically validated approaches supported by specific research from those that, due to a lack of evidence of their effectiveness, are merely tolerated. This work seeks to encourage an ongoing critical reflection on the role of CAM in the health care system using a model that attempts to integrate these approaches while illustrating the complexity of this task.