Zöhre Irmak1, Özgür Tanrıverdi2, Hilal Ödemiş3, Derya Demir Uysal4. 1. Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Mugla Sıtkı Kocman University, Mugla, Turkey. Electronic address: zirmak@mu.edu.tr. 2. Department of Medical Onkology, Faculty of Medicine, Mugla Sıtkı Kocman University, Mugla, Turkey. 3. Education and Research Hospital, Mugla Sıtkı Kocman University, Mugla, Turkey. 4. Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Mugla Sıtkı Kocman University, Mugla, Turkey.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the frequency of use of CAM therapies among cancer patients, the types of CAM therapies they used, the demographic and clinical factors affecting their tendency to use CAM therapies, and the difference between quality of life of CAM user and non-user patients. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was carried out between March and June 2016 in an education and research hospital located in Mugla, Turkey. A CAM use questionnaire, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0) and the Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS) were administered to 211 patients. RESULTS: Among all the participating patients, 46.4% were CAM users. The most commonly used CAM therapy was herbal products. The rate of CAM use was higher among the patients with a low education level (P = 0.004). No statistically significant difference was found between the quality-of-life scores of the CAM user and non-user patients. CONCLUSION: Almost half of the cancer patients used CAM therapy, with the most commonly used CAM therapy being herbal products. Doctors/nurses should assess patients in terms of the CAM therapies they use to determine their possible side effects and drug interactions. Further research should be performed to determine the relationship between CAM therapy and quality of life.
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the frequency of use of CAM therapies among cancerpatients, the types of CAM therapies they used, the demographic and clinical factors affecting their tendency to use CAM therapies, and the difference between quality of life of CAM user and non-user patients. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was carried out between March and June 2016 in an education and research hospital located in Mugla, Turkey. A CAM use questionnaire, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0) and the Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS) were administered to 211 patients. RESULTS: Among all the participating patients, 46.4% were CAM users. The most commonly used CAM therapy was herbal products. The rate of CAM use was higher among the patients with a low education level (P = 0.004). No statistically significant difference was found between the quality-of-life scores of the CAM user and non-user patients. CONCLUSION: Almost half of the cancerpatients used CAM therapy, with the most commonly used CAM therapy being herbal products. Doctors/nurses should assess patients in terms of the CAM therapies they use to determine their possible side effects and drug interactions. Further research should be performed to determine the relationship between CAM therapy and quality of life.
Authors: Saira Justin; Jochen Rutz; Sebastian Maxeiner; Felix K-H Chun; Eva Juengel; Roman A Blaheta Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2020-08-04 Impact factor: 5.923