Surviving, Relieving, Repairing, and Boosting Up: Reasons for Using Complementary/Alternative Medicine among Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Thematic Analysis

The purpose of this study was to compare the physical, psychological and social dimensions associated with quality-of-life outcomes over the last year of life, between advanced cancer users and nonusers of complementary and alternative medicine. One hundred and eleven patients were identified through Queensland Cancer Registry records, and followed up every four to six weeks until close to death using standardized protocols. Outcome measures were symptom burden, psychological distress, subjective wellbeing, satisfaction with conventional medicine and need for control over treatment decisions. At the initial interview, 36 (32%) participants had used complementary/alternative medicine the previous week; mainly vitamins, minerals and tonics and herbal remedies. Among all participants, 53 (48%) used at least one form of complementary/alternative medicine over the study period. Only six (11%) visited alternative practitioners on a regular basis. Overall, complementary/alternative medicine users reported higher levels of anxiety and pain, less satisfaction with conventional medicine and lower need for control over treatment decisions compared with nonusers. These differences tend to change as death approaches. A more rigorous assessment of complementary/alternative medicine use, psychological distress, pain and subjective wellbeing among patients with advanced cancer is needed in the clinical setting.

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Online Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine

10.33552/ojcam ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽

Online Journal

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Complementary/Alternative Medicine Use of the Admitted Cancer Patients to A General Hospital

Health & Welfare ◽

10.23948/kshw.2004.12.7.37 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. 37 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hy-Wan Song

Keyword(s):

Alternative Medicine ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

General Hospital ◽

Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽

Medicine Use

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Open Dialogue About Complementary Alternative Medicine

Case Medical Research ◽

10.31525/ct1-nct04299451 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽

Open Dialogue

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ANALISIS METODE TIME SERIES UNTUK MERAMALKAN JUMLAH PASIEN STROKE MENGGUNAKAN COMPLEMENTER ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Jurnal Kesehatan ◽

10.35730/jk.v10i2.400 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 94

Author(s):

Elfira Husna ◽

Siti Mutia Kossasy

Keyword(s):

Time Series ◽

Alternative Medicine ◽

National Health ◽

National Health Interview Survey ◽

Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽

Health Interview Survey ◽

Health Interview ◽

Interview Survey

Data WHO menunjukkan angka kejadian stroke meningkat setiap tahunnya. Stroke menyebabkan dampak negatif bagi pasien yang bertahan dengan ketidakmampuan fungsi tubuh. Pasien pascastroke seringkali berada dalam kondisi kronis yang membutuhkan pengobatan dan perawatan. Bahkan, pengobatan konvensional tidak sepenuhnya efektif untuk banyak kondisi neurologis umum. Berdasarkan survei yang dilakukan oleh National Health Interview Survey (2007), hampir setengah dari orang dewasa dengan stroke melaporkan penggunaan Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) sebagai pengobatan. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian deskriptif yang dilakukan dengan metode peramalan kuantitatif Time Series. Analisa time series merupakan metode dimana sejumlah observasi diambil selama beberapa periode dan digunakan sebagai dasar dalam menyusun ramalan untuk beberapa periode di masa depan. Observasi dilakukan terhadap data laporan bulanan RSSN dengan metode dokumentasi dari bulan januari 2010 sampai dengan bulan Desember 2016 di RS Stroke Nasional Bukittinggi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa peramalan dengan metode double eksponential smoothing dilakukan pada pasien stroke dengan akupuntur dan terapi okupasi. Hasil Ramalan menunjukkan bahwa jumlah pasien stroke dengan perawatan akupuntur pada tahun 2016 cenderung mengalami kenaikan. Jumlah keseluruhan pasien stroke dengan perawatan akupuntur mengalami kenaikan pada tahun 2016 yaitu mencapai 292 pasien. Ramalan jumlah pasien stroke dengan terapi okupasi tahun 2016 mencapai 7 pasien.

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Biomarkers of Subclinical Atherosclerosis and Natural Products as Complementary Alternative Medicine

Current Pharmaceutical Design ◽

10.2174/1381612822666151112151035 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 372-382 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jonatas Zeni Klafke ◽

Fernando Garcez Porto ◽

Amanda Spring de Almeida ◽

Mariana Migliorini Parisi ◽

Gabriela Elisa Hirsch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Products ◽

Alternative Medicine ◽

Subclinical Atherosclerosis ◽

Complementary Alternative Medicine

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The trends of complementary alternative medicine use among cancer patients

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies ◽

10.1186/s12906-021-03338-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Abdul Rahman Jazieh ◽

Khadega A. Abuelgasim ◽

Husam I. Ardah ◽

Mohammad Alkaiyat ◽

Omar B. Da’ar

Keyword(s):

Alternative Medicine ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Clinical Information ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽

Cultural Changes ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Cam Use ◽

The Individual

Abstract Background The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common among cancer patients and it may reflect the individual and societal beliefs on cancer therapy. Our study aimed to evaluate the trends of CAM use among patients with cancer between 2006 and 2018. Methods We included 2 Cohorts of patients with cancer who were recruited for Cohort 1 between 2006 and 2008 and for Cohort 2 between 2016 and 2018. The study is a cross-sectional study obtaining demographic and clinical information and inquiring about the types of CAM used, the reasons to use them and the perceived benefits. We compared the changes in the patterns of CAM use and other variables between the two cohorts. Results A total of 1416 patients were included in the study, with 464 patients in Cohort 1 and 952 patients in Cohort 2. Patients in Cohort 2 used less CAM (78.9%) than Cohort 1 (96.8%). Cohort 1 was more likely to use CAM to treat cancer compared to Cohort 2 (84.4% vs. 73%, respectively, p < 0.0001,); while Cohort 2 used CAM for symptom management such as pain control and improving appetite among others. Disclosure of CAM use did not change significantly over time and remains low (31.6% in Cohort 1 and 35.7% for Cohort 2). However, physicians were more likely to express an opposing opinion against CAM use in Cohort 2 compared to Cohort 1 (48.7% vs. 19.1%, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion There is a significant change in CAM use among cancer patients over the decade, which reflects major societal and cultural changes in this population. Further studies and interventions are needed to improve the disclosure to physicians and to improve other aspects of care to these patients.

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