Determining The Rate Of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Utilize In Patients With Head and Neck Cancer In Guilan

Complementary and alternative medicine is a group of diagnostic and therapeutic methods that are commonly used outside university education and are used by patients themselves. Some cancer patients use different types of CAM to reduce the complications of conventional therapies and improve their general condition, which is increasing. Determining the rate of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) utilize in patients with head and neck cancer in Guilan.

This descriptive cross sectional study performed on 203 patients with head and neck cancer. Participants were selected by random sampling method and the data were collected by face-to-face interview with the questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using SPSS statistical software (version 25).

The mean age of participants was 54/99 ± 15/71 years. All patients used at least two complementary therapies. The rate of CAM use in women was higher than men (p = 0.031), students (p = 0.009), under 40 age group (p = 0.001), university education (p = 0.015) ) And in patients with longer duration of cancer (p = 0.001) and with metastatic cancer to head and neck (p = 0.023).The most popular complementary medicine among patients is the use of dietary supplements (100%). Most consumers believed that the motivation of using complementary medicine was to improve the physical and general condition (71.9%). According to the findings of this study, the main source of information for patients in terms of complementary medicine, was doctors and medical staff (53.69%). . Most patients are willing to receive services from doctors and medical staff (61.6%)for most of them, the current state of the provision of complementary health services is not responsive to their needs. Among the studied variables, gender (women compared to men) (odds ratio 2.8-2.2.1. 95% CI), duration of disease (Odds ratio 1.05-0.81 / 1. 95% CI) and job status (p = 0.04) are the predictors of CAM consumption.

All 203 patients who participated in the study used at least two complementary therapies to improve physical and general health. Most patients preferred to receive the necessary information and CAM services from doctors and medical staff. In addition, the use of CAM in women, patients under the age of 40, people with university education, longer duration of cancer and metastasis to the head And the neck was more.