Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 149–50
While the use of complementary therapies (CTs) by cancer patients has increased worldwide, little research documents these trends in Canada. The purpose of the presentation is to highlight what determines CT use in a representative sample of Canadian cancer patients.
With the collaboration of six provincial cancer registries (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia), a sample of 2064 consenting cancer patients completed a telephone survey 16 months after their diagnosis. They reported on various aspects of their CT use prior to and following cancer diagnosis. Females comprised 60% of the sample (mean age 52.5 years; SD 11.8 years); 75% were married or living with a partner, 53% had reached some degree of post-secondary educational training and 54% had a combined per annum family income of CAN$40 000. The sample distribution of major cancers was fairly consistent with 1998 Canadian incidence estimates.
Of the 2064 subjects, 889 (43%) were using CTs for their cancer care. The following variables were found to be significantly related to CT use (P < 0.05): female, younger age, higher education and income, province of residence, cancer still present, cancer treatments’ side-effects, having ever declined cancer treatment and use of CT prior to cancer. Beliefs in CTs and decision-making preferences were also found to be determinants of use. Self-rated health status showed no association with CT use.
Users’ profile and determinants of use were identified. Work in progress includes the development of a more comprehensive model of utilisation.
Financial support was obtained from the National Cancer Institute of Canada with funds from the Canadian Cancer Society.
