Alternative and complementary medicine in patients with cancer diseases

Podatci iz literature govore o porastu uporabe komplementarnih i alternativnih metoda liječenja (KAM) u onkoloških bolesnika. Cilj ovog rada je istražiti raširenost uporabe KAM-a, saznati koje su najčešće upotrebljavane metode, istražiti povezanost uporabe KAM-a s demografskim karakteristikama bolesnika te istražiti izvore informiranosti bolesnika o KAM-u. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 82 bolesnika a u obradi podataka koristili su se postupci deskriptivne i inferencijalne statistike. S obzirom na spol, ispitanici, odnosno onkološki bolesnici se značajno razlikuju po korištenju KAM-a: muškarci manje koriste KAM nego žene. Hi2 test pokazuje statistički značajnu razliku (hi2=7,392; df=1; P=0,007). Dob i obrazovanje nisu se pokazali statistički značajnim čimbenicima u korištenju KAM-a. Postotak ispitanika koji su bilo kada u svom životu (prije ili sada) koristili (ili koriste) KAM, odnosno „životna prevalencija“ iznosi 72,2%, dok postotak onih koji sada koriste KAM (bez obzira na prije) iznosi 46,8%. Bolesnici od KAM-a očekuju da im poveća imunitet (46,3%), poboljša fizičko zdravlje (23,2%), ublaži simptome nuspojava kemoterapije (17,1%) te da im poboljša psihičko stanje (14,6%). O korištenju KAM-a svog je liječnika onkologa obavijestilo 35,6% bolesnika , a medicinsku sestru njih 16,7%. Kao najčešći razlozi zbog kojih bolesnici o korištenju KAM-a nisu obavijestili medicinsko osoblje navode se „nitko nije pitao“ i negativan stav zdravstvenih profesionalaca prema KAM-u. Prijatelji (36,6%), drugi bolesnici (31,7%), mediji (28,0%) i zdravstveni djelatnici izvan bolnice (12,2%), najčešći su izvor informacija o KAM-u. Najmanje informacija o KAM-u bolesnici dobivaju od zdravstvenih djelatnika u bolnici u kojoj se liječe i raznih udruga (2,4%) Znati i ispitati koje KAM metode koriste njihovi bolesnici trebao bi biti imperativ u svakodnevnom radu zdravstvenih profesionalaca kako bi mogli pružiti kvalitetniju zdravstvenu skrb, što će rezultirati boljim ishodima liječenja i većim zadovoljstvom bolesnika.The aim of this study was to explore the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer patients, find out which are the most commonly used methods. Furthermore, to explore connection between the use of CAM and the demographic characteristics of the patients and to investigate the sources of information about CAM. The study included 82 patients from one oncology ward. Methods of descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the processing of the data. Complementary and alternative medicine use among cancer patients has increased in recent years. Regarding to gender, women tend to use more CAM than men. Age and educational level are not significant factors foe the use of CAM. More than two-third (72,2%) oft he cancer patients reported using some form of CAM at least once in their lifes („life“ prevalence), and the prevalence of CAM use is 46,8%.Most patients werw using CAM as they wanted to boost the immune system (46,3%), improve physical well-being (23,2%), to release side-effect of chemotherapy or improve emotional well-being (14,6%). Regarding to present data communication between patients and their health providers (oncologist and nurses) is critical. This study showed that almost 65% oft he participants had not disclosed to their oncologysts their use of CAM, neither 85% to nurses. The reasons for not reporting CAM use to their nurses or oncologists include „they never asked“ or „they would disapprove“. Friends were the most common source of imformation (36,6%), followed by media (31,7%) and the external health care proffesionals. This number is even lower among doctors and nurses and support-group: only 2,4% of them were identified as the source of information for patients It is important that documentation of CAM use should become part of routine assessment for all cancer patients in order to provide quality health care, which will result with better outcomes and greater satisfaction of patients