Attitudes of oncology patients on Traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM)

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims at determining the prevalence, socio-demographic features, the type and treatment of cancer, the attitudes towards the T&CM (Traditional and Complementary Medicine), and the factors influencing these attitudes of the patients at Ankara City Hospital, Oncology Polyclinics. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study aiming at the research on the use of, the rationale for and the influential factors leading to the utilization of T&CM on cancer patients at Ankara City Hospital, Oncology Polyclinics between the periods of November 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019. Results: The study had found that 57.66% of the patients used T&CM before diagnosis, while 33.66% begun using them after the diagnosis. Male patients have sought the doctor’s help more than female patients (p=0,022). As for socio-demographic findings, there was no significant statistical correlation between the use of T&CM and age, gender, occupation, educational background, monthly income, marital status, or family type. In terms of location, the patients residing in city centers utilized T&CM more than those living in smaller regions such as counties or villages (p=0,034). Among the post-diagnosis T&CM practices, phytotherapy was the most popularly applied (90.90%), followed by phlebotomy (5.45%), and leech therapy (3.63%). Amongst phytotherapy were the consumption of herbal teas (52%) and the use of Urtica urens (30%). Conclusion: It was observed that the knowledge level of the patients about T&CM was insufficient. It would be beneficial to carry out studies to increase the knowledge and awareness of patients about T&CM methods.