Complementary and integrative health methods used for the treatment of oral mucositis in children with cancer in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: We aimed to determine the complementary and integrative health (CIH) methods used by parents to treat oral mucositis in their children who have cancer. Design and Methods:In this multicenter, cross-sectional study, data for the study were collected via the demographic form and CIH form for oral mucositis. The data collection tools were filled out by the researchers during the face-to-face interviews.The parents (N = 302) of children with cancer who had undergone at least one round of chemotherapy were included in this study.Results: According to the parents' statements, oral mucositis developed in 91.1% of the children with cancer, and CIH was used in 50.9% of them to treat its side effects.Parents stated that to deal with the oral mucositis, they mainly used black mulberry (41.5%), carbonate (15.2%), and honey (11.6%). Some of the parents (51.8%) used CIH for their children without informing their healthcare providers.Practice Implications: The majority of healthcare providers were unaware of the parents' use of CIH for their children's oral mucositis treatment. Parents' opinions of these methods, of which the side effects and potential interactions with chemotherapeutic agents are not precisely known, and their use by parents for their children's oral mucositis should be evaluated by healthcare providers. K E Y W O R D S child, children's health, complementary and integrative health, nursing, oral mucositis, parent 1 | WHAT IS CURRENTLY KNOWN?When children are diagnosed with cancer, parents feel incompetent about how to care for their child. CIH usage is reported to be 10.9-87.6% around the world, and this ratio has been reported to vary between 6% and 100% in children with cancer. Oral mucositis is considered to be a common debilitating side effect of chemotherapy and there are no studies on how often parents use different CIH methods for the treatment of oral mucositis.

Using Bee Products for the Prevention and Treatment of Oral Mucositis Induced by Cancer Treatment

“…Little is known on what patients use except for one study from pediatric oncology. Black mulberr, carbonate and honey (11.6%) were the methods used most frequently [12]. The keratinocyte growth factor may be another interesting option for patients who are receiving either radiotherapy to the head and neck with cisplatin or fluorouracil or chemotherapy alone for mixed solid and hematological cancers [13].…”

Examination of nursing theses on oral mucositis in children with cancer in Turkey

“…The characteristics of the theses examined within the framework of the study are given in detail in Table 2 [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. It is noteworthy that these theses are predominantly of a quasi-experimental design.…”