Complementary and alternative medicine use among pediatric oncology patients in a tertiary care center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The aim was to study the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use in acutely sick hospitalized children and factors associated with it. This is a cross-sectional, hospital-based study in a tertiary care center of Delhi, India. Children admitted to a pediatric unit during the study period were assessed using a specially designed questionnaire. Out of the total 887 admitted children, 161 (18.1%) were using complementary and alternate medicine in one form or another. Of these, 113 (70.2%) were using complementary and alternate medicine for the current illness directly leading to admission and the remaining 48 (29.8%) had used complementary and alternate medicine in past. The common complementary and alternate medicine use observed in our study was combined ayurveda and spiritual approach (25.5%), ayurveda (24.8%), spiritual (21.7%), homeopathic (13%), and 47.2% of children were using spiritual approach in form of Jhada (tying piece of cloth on arm or leg or keeping a knife by the side of child). The significant factors associated with complementary and alternate medicine use were younger age, female gender, and father being employed. Complementary and alternate medicine is commonly used even in acutely sick children.

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Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use by Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Internet Survey

Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology ◽

10.1155/1999/586765 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 327-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

Robert J Hilsden ◽

Jon B Meddings ◽

Marja J Verhoef

Keyword(s):

Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary Medicine ◽

Bowel Disease ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Medicine Use ◽

Inflammatory Bowel ◽

Cam Use ◽

Complementary And Alternative

OBJECTIVES: To determine the degree and determinants of the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with the use of the Internet and to compare the results with those found by using a similar survey in patients attending gastroenterology clinics in Calgary, Alberta.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 263 patients with IBD with the use of a World Wide Web-based, structured questionnaire was conducted.RESULTS: Complementary therapies had been used by 46% of patients in the previous two years. Current use was reported by 34%. Vitamins, herbal products and natural health practices were the most commonly reported therapies. Side effects and lack of effectiveness of standard therapies were the most commonly cited reasons for seeking complementary medicine. However, despite this, respondents who had previously received surgery, or intravenous or oral steroids were less likely to be current CAM users. Important differences between the determinants of and reasons for CAM use in the present study and those of a similar study of IBD patients in a local tertiary care setting were noted.CONCLUSIONS: Complementary medicine use is common in patients with IBD. Differences in the determinants of and reasons for CAM use noted between the present Internet sample and a gastroenterology clinic sample suggest that conclusions from the present study and from previous studies based only on clinic samples provide a limited view of CAM use by people with IBD. More comprehensive assessments are needed.

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