Holist Nurs Pract. 2015 Nov-Dec;29(6):357-69. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000113.
Abstract
This
descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the
use and effects of complementary and alternative medicine on cancer
patients receiving chemotherapy. The research was conducted in Daytime
Chemotherapy Unit of the College District Outpatients in the Ankara
Numune Education and Research Hospital and comprised 397 patients in the
oncology outpatients. Written informed consents were obtained from all
participants. Among the participants, 52.6% were women, 85.1% married,
10.6% illiterate, 41.1% housewife, and 8.8% civil servants. Among the
patients participated in the study, 27.7% had cancer in the family,
22.6% had gastrointestinal cancer, and 22.1% had breast cancer. Most of
the patients (92.2%) resorted to religious and cultural approaches, and
some patients (33.8%) used nutritional and herbal products besides
medical treatment. The nutritional and herbal products used as remedy
included stinging nettle
(22.3%), fennel flower (20.1%), and herbal products that were
advertised by herbalists in media (9.7%). It was determined that most of
the patients resorting to complementary or alternative medicine were
women (52.6%), housewife (51.5%), and patients with a history of cancer
in the family (37.7%). Complementary and alternative medicine use as a
remedy for cure is common among patients in Turkey. But when it is
considered that many of these products had the potential to negatively
affect cancer therapy, it is crucial that nurses providing care to
cancer patients should be well informed about complementary therapies,
be aware of the potential risks and benefits, and communicate openly
with patients on their health care choices.
