Abstract

Background: The goal of palliative care is to enhance the quality of life for patients and caregivers, focusing on symptom management for patients with conditions where treatment may not be possible. The burden of common symptoms in patients with incurable diseases is increasing, and traditional and complementary medicine (GETAT) practices are being used as a part of palliative care in many countries around the world.
Aim: The aim of this study is to determine caregivers' perceptions of traditional and complementary medicine practices and to investigate the factors influencing the demand for GETAT applications in palliative care, considering the conditions of the service.

Method : This cross-sectional, descriptive study's population consists of caregivers of patients receiving treatment in a palliative care service conducted by family physician specialists. A mixed-method approach was utilized, employing face-to-face surveys with Likert-type questions and adding open-ended questions to the survey.
Results: During the study period, 67 out of 72 caregivers who were providing care to patients were included. The average age of caregivers was 46.4 ± 13.7, and 55.2% (n=37) were female. As for education, 62.7% (n=42) had completed primary education. When inquired about GETAT knowledge, 56.7% had awareness, with the most common source of knowledge being acquaintances, neighbors, spouses, friends, and relatives at 31.3%, followed by social media at 16.4%.
Among the participants who were knowledgeable about GETAT applications, the proportion of those who had previously applied it to a palliative care patient was determined to be 28.9% (n=11). Caregivers' perspectives on GETAT applications included concerns about causing harm to the patient, individual patient-related factors, and inadequate or incorrect information about GETAT practices.When comparing GETAT knowledge based on gender, it was determined that women had a 24% higher awareness of the applications compared to men. In the group with lower education levels, the primary source of GETAT knowledge was found to be acquaintances, spouses, friends, and relatives (p

Key words: palliative care, traditional medicine, complementary therapies, family physician, caregivers