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. 2022 Jan 30;19(3):1600.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031600.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Hospitalized Cancer Patients-Study from Silesia, Poland

Karolina Kasprzycka  1 , Marta Kurzawa  1 , Malgorzata Kucharz  1 , Monika Godawska  1 , Marta Oleksa  1 , Marta Stawowy  1 , Katarzyna Slupinska-Borowka  1 , Wiktoria Sznek  1 , Iwona Gisterek  1 , Agnieszka Boratyn-Nowicka  2 , Monika Rucinska  3 , Karolina Osowiecka  4 , Sergiusz Nawrocki  1   3
Affiliations

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Hospitalized Cancer Patients-Study from Silesia, Poland

Karolina Kasprzycka et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common amongst cancer patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the use of CAM, beliefs about CAM and the purpose of using it amongst Polish cancer patients.

Methods: The study included 864 cancer patients (median 63 years old), who were individually interviewed. The questionnaire was designed specifically for this study.

Results: Amongst 732 patients who declared that they heard about CAM, 342 patients (46.7%) had used CAM; 91% of these patients had used it as a complementary therapy and 9% had used it as an alternative therapy. Patients younger in age, highly educated, professionally active, with longer medical history, and at more advanced cancer stages have, statistically, used CAM more often; 66% of participants could not state what the health effect of CAM is. Patients received information about CAM from the internet, friends, family and other patients. Only 18% of patients discussed using CAM with a doctor.

Conclusions: CAM was popular amongst Polish cancer patients, especially in younger, educated and professionally active patients with longer cancer history at advanced stage. Patients used CAM as a complementary therapy for strengthening immune system, improving morphological and biochemical test parameters, reducing the side effects of conventional therapy and improving their well-being.

Keywords: CAM; alternative medicine; cancer patients; complementary medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of patients included in the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The sources of information about CAM amongst cancer patients who had used complementary and/or alternative medicine (n = 342).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of used CAM modalities.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Reasons for CAM use as a complementary medicine (n = 312).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Perceived effects of CAM as a complementary medicine (n = 312).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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