Complementary and Integrative Medicines Used by Cancer Patients to Cope With Chemotherapy-Related Taste Alterations

Introduction: Cancer is a global health problem. Taste change is one of the most common symptoms in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Cancer patients often use Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) to manage chemotherapy complications. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate CIM used by cancer patients to cope with chemotherapy-related taste alterations. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 318 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in an oncology hospital in Malatya City, Turkey. The samples were recruited by convenience sampling method. The study data were collected with a data form developed by the research team. Written permissions were obtained from all participants and the Ethics Committee. Frequencies, mean scores, and standard deviation were used to present descriptive findings. The independent t-test, Chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the obtained data. Results: The Mean±SD age of the patients was 65.18±8.36 years, and the mean duration of their diseases was 35.34±16.27 months. About 54.1% of the patients were female, and 42.8% had some information about CIM. Their primary source of information was other patients (49.6%), and 34.9% used CIM to cope with chemotherapy-related taste alterations. The most common method used was phytotherapy (50.5%), and the most commonly used herb was miracle fruit (21.4%). It was also determined that the frequency of CIM use was affected by age, illness duration, gender, living in a city, family history of cancer, having breast cancer, having information on CIM, having metastasis, and lacking complications (R2= 0.426, P=0.025). Conclusion: Cancer patients frequently use CIM to cope with chemotherapy-related taste alterations, and phytotherapy was the most commonly-used CIM.

Complementary medicine in Germany: a multi-centre cross-sectional survey on the usage by and the needs of patients hospitalized in university medical centers

Background The results of recent surveys indicate that more than 50% of the German population has experience with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or uses CAM regularly. This study investigated the CAM usage and CAM-related needs of hospitalized patients at university medical centres in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Methods A multi-centre, paper-based, pseudonymous survey was carried out by the members of the Academic Centre for Complementary and Integrative Medicine. Patients of all ages, regardless of sex, diagnosis and treatment, who were hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Oncology, Gynaecology or Surgery at the university medical centres in Freiburg, Heidelberg, Tübingen and Ulm were eligible for inclusion. Results Of the 1275 eligible patients, 67% (n = 854) consented to participate in the survey. Forty-eight percent of the study participants stated that they were currently using CAM. The most frequently used therapies were exercise (63%), herbal medicine (54%) and dietary supplements (53%). Only 16% of the patients discussed CAM usage with their attending physician. Half of the patients (48%) were interested in CAM consultations. More than 80% of the patients desired reliable CAM information and stated that physicians should be better informed about CAM. Conclusions The frequency of CAM usage and the need for CAM counselling among hospitalized patients at university medical centres in Baden-Württemberg are high. To better meet patients’ needs, CAM research and physician education should be intensified. Trial registration German Clinical Trial register (DRKS00015445).

Black Lives and Asian Medicine

This essay examines the intersections between Asian medicines, racial healthcare inequities, and social justice movements, and explains how they are illuminated by the interviews and essays in this special issue. Important themes include: how the protests following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 spurred US organizations of alternative, complementary, and integrative medicine to undertake antiracist initiatives; how acupuncturists have been working to properly acknowledge the contributions of African American practitioners in their historical narratives; and how acupuncture may be a useful tool for mitigating racial health disparities.