OBJECTIVES: To explore the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for infertility in a multicultural healthcare setting and to compare Western and non-Western infertility patients' reasons for using CAM and the meanings they attribute to CAM use. DESIGN: Qualitative semi-structured interviews using thematic analysis. SETTINGS/LOCATION: Two infertility clinics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: An ethnoculturally varied sample of 32 heterosexual infertile couples. RESULTS: CAM used included lifestyle changes (e.g., changing diet, exercise), alternative medicine (e.g., acupuncture, herbal medicines), and religious methods (e.g., prayers, religious talismans). Patients expressed three attitudes toward CAM: desperate hope, casual optimism, and amused skepticism. PARTICIPANTS' CAM use was consistent with cultural traditions of health and fertility: Westerners relied primarily on biomedicine and used CAM mainly for relaxation, whereas non-Westerners' CAM use was often influenced by culture-specific knowledge of health, illness and fertility. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding patients' CAM use may help clinicians provide culturally sensitive, patient-centered care.
OBJECTIVES: To explore the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for infertility in a multicultural healthcare setting and to compare Western and non-Western infertilitypatients' reasons for using CAM and the meanings they attribute to CAM use. DESIGN: Qualitative semi-structured interviews using thematic analysis. SETTINGS/LOCATION: Two infertility clinics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: An ethnoculturally varied sample of 32 heterosexual infertile couples. RESULTS: CAM used included lifestyle changes (e.g., changing diet, exercise), alternative medicine (e.g., acupuncture, herbal medicines), and religious methods (e.g., prayers, religious talismans). Patients expressed three attitudes toward CAM: desperate hope, casual optimism, and amused skepticism. PARTICIPANTS' CAM use was consistent with cultural traditions of health and fertility: Westerners relied primarily on biomedicine and used CAM mainly for relaxation, whereas non-Westerners' CAM use was often influenced by culture-specific knowledge of health, illness and fertility. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding patients' CAM use may help clinicians provide culturally sensitive, patient-centered care.
Authors: Inge W H van Empel; Eline A F Dancet; Xander H E Koolman; Willianne L D M Nelen; Elly A Stolk; Walter Sermeus; Thomas M D'Hooghe; Jan A M Kremer Journal: Hum Reprod Date: 2011-01-12 Impact factor: 6.918
Authors: Peter Bai James; Lexina Taidy-Leigh; Abdulai Jawo Bah; Joseph Sam Kanu; Jia Bainga Kangbai; Stephen Sevalie Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2018-04-22 Impact factor: 2.629
Authors: Cedrick S Mutombo; Salvius A Bakari; Vianney N Ntabaza; Amandine Nachtergael; Jean-Baptiste S Lumbu; Pierre Duez; Joh B Kahumba Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-10-18 Impact factor: 3.752