Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2001; 6: 95
The objective of this study was to explore the extent of declining conventional cancer treatments in favour of alternative therapies, the characteristics of patients making this decision and the reasons for doing so.
Multiple recruitment strategies were developed to identify these patients in Calgary and Vancouver (Canada). Eligible patients (refusing at least one conventional treatment) were interviewed by phone and those interested took part in a focus group or an in-depth interview following the telephone interview.
Forty-five eligible patients were identified and interviewed. Thirteen of these patients had refused all conventional treatments, 20 refused chemotherapy, 18 refused surgery and 17 refused radiation therapy. Almost all patients (91%) are still seeing their medical doctors, mostly for monitoring and testing. The majority (60%) prefers to make the final decision about cancer treatment, none wanted their doctors to make the final decision. Twenty-eight patients took part in focus groups or in-depth interviews. Reasons for declining conventional treatment included lack of belief in the effectiveness of conventional treatment, avoiding side-effects and negative impact on immune system (risks outweigh benefits), buying time, practical considerations and physician-related reasons. The importance of beliefs, feelings and attitudes was one of the most pervasive themes in the discussions.
The results provide important information for improving communication with cancer patients and thus cancer care.
