The use of alternative and complementary medicine practices by cancer chemotherapy patients
Journal Title: Family Medicine & Primary Care Review - Year 2016, Vol 18, Issue 1
Abstract
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.
Authors and Affiliations
Katarzyna Augustyniuk, Joanna Owsianowska, Daroa Schneider-Matyka, Anna Jurczak, Beata Karakiewicz
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP143693
- DOI -
- Views 88
- Downloads 0
Ocena zachowań zdrowotnych studentów uczelni szczecińskich
Wstęp. Kształtowanie zachowań zdrowotnych rozpoczyna się od wczesnego dzieciństwa i trwa przez całe życie. Okres wczesnej dorosłości niejednokrotnie wiąże się z podejmowaniem przez młodych ludzi zachowań ryzykownych i si...
Historia badania ruchowych potencjałów wywołanych drażnieniem zmiennym polem magnetycznym przez powierzchnię czaszki. Pionierzy i kontynuatorzy
Opisano historię wprowadzenia do użytku metody badania ruchowych potencjałów wywołanych (MEP) przez stymulację mózgu człowieka zmiennym polem magnetycznym bez naruszania powierzchni ciała ludzkiego (TMS). Wymieniono najw...
Psychological profile of female students with a tendency to anorexia nervosa
Background. Various authors have analyzed factors determining the appearance of anorexia nervosa and did not reach a consensus. The article presents the results and our opinion that deep psychological problems of individ...
The family doctor in the jurisprudence of medical disciplinary boards. Analysis of select cases
The increase in the number of malpractice actions for damages before civil courts is linked not only to patients’ increasing awareness of their rights, but also to the rapid development of medical science and new technol...
Ekspresja metaloproteinazy macierzy pozakomórkowej MMP9 oraz tkankowego inhibitora metaloproteinazy TIMP2 w nowotworach złośliwych gruczołów ślinowych
Wstęp. Celem pracy było badanie ekspresji MMP9 i TI MP2 w nowotworach złośliwych gruczołów ślinowych oraz ocena zależności tej ekspresji od cech histoklinicznych nowotworu. Materiał i metody. Przeprowadzono badania immu...