The use of alternative and complementary medicine practices by cancer chemotherapy patients

• Main Authors: Katarzyna Augustyniuk, Katarzyna Brudnoch, Joanna Owsianowska, Daria Schneider-Matyka, Anna Jurczak, Beata Karakiewicz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Continuo 2016-02-01
• Series: Family Medicine & Primary Care Review
• Subjects: complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices; cancer; patient
• Online Access: https://www.termedia.pl/The-use-of-alternative-and-complementary-medicine-practices-by-cancer-r-nchemotherapy-patients,95,27040,1,1.html

Background . Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices for cancer have become popular among oncology patients. An increasing interest in alternative medicine can be explained by the inefficiency of conventional treatment, dissatisfaction with treating patients like objects, and the will to use all available treatment methods. Objectives . The authors assessed how often patients use CAM methods, and which of them are most popular. Material and methods . The study was conducted in Military Hospital no. 109 and the Independent Public Clinical Hospital no. 1 in Szczecin among 100 chemotherapy patients. This survey-based study was performed using an original questionnaire. Results. Most respondents (68%) did not use alternative methods to fight the disease. The most popular treatment methods were: herbal medicine (50%), alternative medicine preparations (38%) and diet (25%), and the least common: hypnosis (3%) and aromatherapy (3%). Analyzed sociodemographic factors had no effects on a choice of a CAM method. Patients obtained information about CAM methods mainly from the Internet (40%), medical staff (37%) and literature (31%). Conclusions . 1. Using CAM by patients receiving chemotherapy for neoplasms is quite a common phenomenon. 2. CAM were more often chosen by women. Neither the duration of the disease nor sociodemographic data had effects on making the decision to use CAM methods. 3. The most popular CAM were: herbal medicine, alternative medicine preparations, and diet. 4. Cancer patients should receive special support from nurses and doctors as well as other members of the therapeutic team. Oncology patients should never be left on their own so that they were forced to seek help and support in therapies unconfirmed by scientific investigation.