Traditional & Alternative Medicine

Biography

Biography: Demirsoy G

Abstract

Frequent occurrence of breast cancer, low survival rate, many side effects of treatments and women's health-seeking behavior have caused to increase the usage of complementary and alternative therapies (CAM). In Turkey, breast cancer patients often resorted to CAM methods, but they are tested by limited studies and gain results which do not answer well how frequently they were used and problems were experienced. In this study, we aimed to determine the usage of complementary and alternative treatments in breast cancer patients. This descriptive study collected the data from total 518 members who got breast cancer diagnosis of an association with cancer. We did not do sampling, but we only reached 437 members who agreed to fill out the questionnaire. Data were collected by the questionnaire consisting of 28 questions developed by the researchers and collected via Internet. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis. It was determined that the majority of women who participated was in the 40-49 age group, married, graduated from university, income and expenses were equivalent and in stage 2 breast cancer. Mostly biological approaches after diagnostic were preferred. 48.7% of women were reported that they used CAM. In the 40-49 age group, married, equivalent income and expenses and patients with second phase in breast cancer used CAM higher than the other groups in the past and now. The most used CAM method was herbal products for treatment. All the CAM users have used at least one herbal method. Women, who were in the survey mostly used CAM to prevent the symptoms. 70% of women also expressed that it partially allowed their recovery. Women got advices and recommandations about CAM methods from their family members (29.6%) and their knowledge (29.6%). The women participating in this study had problems with its cost, conflicting with the treatment and problems such as difficulty to reach more information about methods and lack of access to the methods. 56.3% of CAM users did not share their situation about CAM with health professionals during their treatments, but they also expressed that they would like to receive counseling about CAM methods during treatment. As a result, the majority of breast cancer patients used many CAM methods. If the factors like age, education, stage and income increase, using CAM also increases and approximately half of the patients did not share using CAM with their medical staff. Medical staff who take care of breast cancer patients need to question the status of CAM use, find out a way for them to share their status, give adequate counsulting and also must have sufficient information to guide patients.