Racial differences in familiarity, interest, and use of integrative medicine among patients with breast cancer

Abstract

Purpose: Integrative medicine (IM) has received the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s endorsement for managing cancer treatment-related side effects. Little is known about racial differences in familiarity, interest, and use of IM among patients with breast cancer. Methods: Patients with breast cancer enrolled in the Chicago Multiethnic Epidemiologic Breast Cancer Cohort were surveyed regarding familiarity, interest, and use of acupuncture, massage, meditation, music therapy, and yoga. Familiarity and interest, measured by a 5-point Likert scale, was modeled using proportional odds. Use was self-reported, and modeled using binary logistic regression. Results: Of 1,300 respondents (71.4% White and 21.9% Black), Black patients were less likely than White patients to be familiar with acupuncture (aOR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41–0.87); there were no racial differences in familiarity with massage, meditation, music therapy, and yoga. While there were no differences in interest in acupuncture between Black and White patients (aOR 1.12, 95% CI 0.76–1.65), Black patients were more interested in massage (aOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.25–2.77), meditation (aOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.37–3.00), music therapy (aOR 2.68, 95% CI 1.80–3.99), and yoga (aOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.41–3.12). Black patients were less likely than White patients to have used acupuncture (aOR 0.49, 95% CI 0.29–0.84); but there were no racial differences in use of massage, meditation, music therapy, and yoga. Conclusion: Black patients expressed more interest in IM than their White counterparts; there were no racial differences in IM use, except lower acupuncture use among Black patients. A breast program focused on equity should provide access to these services for patients with breast cancer.