Skip to main content

Prevalence and correlates of postdiagnosis initiation of complementary and alternative medicine among patients at a comprehensive cancer center.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Perlman, A; Lontok, O; Huhmann, M; Parrott, JS; Simmons, LA; Patrick-Miller, L
Published in: J Oncol Pract
January 2013

PURPOSE: Patients with cancer increasingly use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in conjunction with conventional oncology treatments. Previous studies have not investigated postdiagnosis initiation of CAM therapies or independent correlates of use of individual CAM modalities. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of individual CAM modalities initiated after cancer diagnosis. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of a random sample of adults with a cancer diagnosis (N = 1,228) seeking care at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center within a 12-month period. RESULTS: The majority of patients were female (64.7%), white (86.9%), and married (72.8%).Three-quarters (75.2%) used at least one CAM modality, and 57.6% of those using CAM initiated use after cancer diagnosis. For all CAM therapies combined, women were 1.7 times more likely than men to initiate any CAM therapy after cancer diagnosis. However, when CAM modalities were differentiated by type, men and women were equally likely to initiate all therapies except for psychotherapy and mind-body approaches. Postdiagnosis initiation of every CAM modality, except mind-body therapies, differed by cancer type. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of patients initiated CAM use after diagnosis. However, specific type of CAM initiated varied by demographics and cancer type, suggesting there is not a "typology" of CAM user. Optimal comprehensive cancer treatment, palliation, and survivorship care will require patient and provider education regarding CAM use by modality type; improved provider-patient communication regarding potential benefits, limitations, and risks; and institutional policies to support integrated conventional and CAM treatment.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

J Oncol Pract

DOI

EISSN

1935-469X

Publication Date

January 2013

Volume

9

Issue

1

Start / End Page

34 / 41

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Prevalence
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Neoplasms
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Data Collection
  • Complementary Therapies
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Perlman, A., Lontok, O., Huhmann, M., Parrott, J. S., Simmons, L. A., & Patrick-Miller, L. (2013). Prevalence and correlates of postdiagnosis initiation of complementary and alternative medicine among patients at a comprehensive cancer center. J Oncol Pract, 9(1), 34–41. https://doi.org/10.1200/JOP.2012.000634
Perlman, Adam, Oliver Lontok, Maureen Huhmann, J Scott Parrott, Leigh Ann Simmons, and Linda Patrick-Miller. “Prevalence and correlates of postdiagnosis initiation of complementary and alternative medicine among patients at a comprehensive cancer center.J Oncol Pract 9, no. 1 (January 2013): 34–41. https://doi.org/10.1200/JOP.2012.000634.
Perlman A, Lontok O, Huhmann M, Parrott JS, Simmons LA, Patrick-Miller L. Prevalence and correlates of postdiagnosis initiation of complementary and alternative medicine among patients at a comprehensive cancer center. J Oncol Pract. 2013 Jan;9(1):34–41.
Perlman, Adam, et al. “Prevalence and correlates of postdiagnosis initiation of complementary and alternative medicine among patients at a comprehensive cancer center.J Oncol Pract, vol. 9, no. 1, Jan. 2013, pp. 34–41. Pubmed, doi:10.1200/JOP.2012.000634.
Perlman A, Lontok O, Huhmann M, Parrott JS, Simmons LA, Patrick-Miller L. Prevalence and correlates of postdiagnosis initiation of complementary and alternative medicine among patients at a comprehensive cancer center. J Oncol Pract. 2013 Jan;9(1):34–41.

Published In

J Oncol Pract

DOI

EISSN

1935-469X

Publication Date

January 2013

Volume

9

Issue

1

Start / End Page

34 / 41

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Prevalence
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Neoplasms
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Data Collection
  • Complementary Therapies