Prevalence and parental perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine use by children with cancer in a multi‐ethnic Southeast Asian population

Abstract

BackgroundThe purpose of the current study was to determine the prevalence of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by children with cancer and to compare the characteristics of CAM users and CAM nonusers.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was performed at a pediatric oncology center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The parents of 97 children with cancer were interviewed using a structured questionnaire.ResultsOverall, 84.5% of the respondents had used CAM, and most of them believed that CAM provided a boost to the immune system, and used CAM with the intention to complement conventional treatment. The most frequently used CAM was water therapy (78%), followed by spirulina (33%), vitamin C (27%), multivitamin (23%), visit to traditional healers (22%), sea cucumber (Stichopus horrens) (15%), and Chinese traditional medicine (12%). The Malay (n = 67) were using more often (93%) CAM than non‐Malay (n = 30, use 67%, P = 0.001).ConclusionsCAM use is common among Malaysian children with cancer. Understanding the sociocultural dimension of patients' health beliefs is important to a successful treatment, and pediatric oncologists should ask for the use of CAM. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:70–74. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Pediatric Patients With Leukemia: The Case of Lebanon

“…However, this is lower than estimates in other studies carried out in the United States, 29 Turkey, 30 and Malaysia. 6 Methodological, cultural, and definitional differences might explain this variation. 19 Although parents of a child with cancer want to help their child recover from the disease by providing CAM therapies, the young age at which pediatric leukemia is usually diagnosed (2-5 years) could have limited parents' intervention.…”

“…16,20 Other reported reasons for use of CAM therapies among cancer patient included curing the cancer, ameliorating the undesirable effects of conventional treatments, and being able to feel some control over the cancer. 6,14,21,24,25 Despite the fact that the Middle Eastern and North African region hosts one of the fastest growing markets of CAM products in the world, 26 few data exist on the prevalence or type of use of CAM by cancer, particularly pediatric leukemia patients. The present study is the first systematic attempt in the Arab world to investigate the frequency, types, and mode of CAM use among pediatric leukemia patients and to underscore the motivators of use of these unconventional therapies.…”

Integrative therapies for children with hematological malignancies

“…1 Specific prevalence data on the use of IT among children with hematological malignancies has generally not been reported in the surveys, although IT were used by 53 of 60 children with leukemia in a recent Malaysian study. 2 Most children use these therapies in an "integrated" approach with conventional therapies; relatively few reports describe the use of alternative therapies in lieu of conventional medicine, although 5 of 6 cases involved children with good prognosis hematological malignancies. 3 Parents pursue IT in order to ensure that they have left "no stone unturned" and to feel as if they are doing all they can to help their child be cured or support them during cancer therapy.…”

Os sentidos das experiências de mães de crianças e adolescentes oncológicos com a terapia complementar

“…As principais motivações para a utilização destas práticas foram: a busca por um outro tipo de tratamento e pela cura do câncer; a prevenção da recaída da doença; a redução da dor; a redução ou a prevenção dos efeitos colaterais do tratamento convencional e o suporte para o sistema imune, para aumentar o apetite e para redução do estresse (AL-QUDIMAT, 2010;HAMIDAH, 2009;LIM, 2006, NAJA, 2011NDAO et al, 2013;O'CONNOR, 2013;SÁNCHEZ, 2011). Em 2006, em um estudo realizado no Brasil, a indicação de terceiros foi a motivação principal para o uso da medicina não-convencional (ELIAS, 2006).…”

“…A maioria dos pais entrevistados manifestou necessidade de obter informação vinda da equipe médica, além de um canal aberto para uma comunicação sobre esse tipo de terapêutica. Os profissionais de saúde devem permanecer informados sobre os benefícios e os efeitos adversos das TAC para discutir as opções de tratamento com os pacientes e suas famílias e para monitorar a sua eficácia (ELIAS, 2006;FLETCHER, 2004;GENTIL, 2010;;GOZUM, 2007;HAMIDAH, 2009;MCCURDY, 2003;MOLASSIOTIS, 2004;NDAO, 2013;O'CONNOR, 2013; Metade dos estudos incluídos nesta revisão mostraram que a maior parte dos pais ou cuidadores não revelou ou discutiu sobre o uso do TAC com os profissionais de saúde envolvidos no tratamento oncológico da criança ou adolescente (AL- QUDIMAT, 2010;ELIAS, 2006;GENC, 2009;GENTIL, 2012;GÓMEZ-MARTÍNEZ, 2007;GOZUM, 2007;KARADENIZ, 2007;O'CONNOR, 2013;LIM, 2006;NAJA, 2011;WEYL, 2006). Somente em um dos estudos incluídos na revisão, os participantes ficaram divididos entre revelar e não revelar sobre uso do TAC, ou seja, 50% referiram discutir com os profissionais sobre o assunto enquanto que a outra metade não o fizeram (NDAO, 2013).…”