Abstract:

Objective: In parallel with the increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases in the world, there is an increase in cancer cases. When the patients admitted to the oncology polyclinics were examined; these patients were found to be receiving support from traditional and alternative medicine methods. In this study, we aimed to analyse the factors, results, cost, and especially the status of informing physicians before using traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) in the palliative care clinic in cancer patients hospitalized in our clinic and using TCM practices. Method: The study was cross-sectional and monocenter. The questionnaire was applied to the cancer patients who were between the ages of 18-80, who were hospitalized in the Palliative Care Center of Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, who gave verbal and written consent to participate in the study, who were hospitalized for more than three days, and who were conscious and not currently receiving curative treatment. Results: Of the patients, 29.7% stated that they applied TCM (n: 22). There was no correlation between the status of using TCM practice and age, gender, educational status and cancer stage. The most common method of TCM is phytotherapy. Of the patients, 50% used TCM method for the treatment of fatigue. Of the patients, 63.6% consulted their doctors before applying TCM method. Conclusion: The fact that patients have prejudices that they will be evaluated negatively when they inform the health personnel about the TCM method they use makes it difficult to reach the real prevalence of TCM method use. In our study, the rate of patients telling TCM use to their doctors was found to be higher than the literature. We think that the biopsychosocial patient approach in palliative care increases the incidence of patients and their complaints in the treatment process.

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