Doctor-patient communication and cancer patients' choice of alternative therapies as supplement or alternative to conventional care

Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
Anita Salamonsen

Abstract

Cancer patients' use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread, despite the fact that clinical studies validating the efficacy of CAM remain sparse in the Nordic countries. The purpose of this study was to explore possible connections between cancer patients' communication experiences with doctors and the decision to use CAM as either supplement or alternative to conventional treatment (CT). The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics and the Norwegian Data Inspectorate approved the study. From a group of 52 cancer patients with self-reported positive experiences from use of CAM, 13 were selected for qualitative interviews. Six used CAM as supplement, and seven as alternative to CT, periodically or permanently. Communication experiences with 46 doctors were described. The analysis revealed three connections between doctor-patient communication and patients' treatment decisions: (i) negative communication experiences because of the use of CAM; (ii) negative communication experiences resulted in the decision to use CAM, and in some cases to decline CT; and (iii) positive communication experiences led to the decision to use CAM as supplement, not alternative to CT. The patients, including the ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 8, 2012·BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine·Bih-Shya GauMeei-Fang Lou
Apr 8, 2016·Tidsskrift for den Norske lægeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny række·Arne Johan NorheimAnita Salamonsen
Nov 12, 2016·BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine·Anne Helen Hansen, Agnete E Kristoffersen
Nov 18, 2017·Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing·Ausanee WanchaiJulia Rodrick
Feb 2, 2018·BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine·Trine StubAgnete E Kristoffersen
Aug 11, 2015·Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine·Andrea L MulkinsMarja J Verhoef

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