Objective: This study aimed to evaluate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among chemotherapy patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of chemotherapy patients receiving daycare was carried out at King Abdulaziz University Hospital. Data on patient demographics, smoking status, cancer kind and stage, other cancer treatments, CAM use, and usage patterns were gathered by a questionnaire.
Results: Of the studied 100 cancer patients, 62% were females, 72% were married, 44% had an educational level higher than secondary school, 71% were unemployed, and 18% had a monthly income >6,000 SR. The prevalence of CAM was 72% and 37.5%, 12.5% and 6.9% discussed CAM with their doctors, nurses, and patient’s educator respectively. The most commonly used types were Zamzam water (77.7%), Quran recitation (65.2%), and olive oil (55.5%). Immunity enhancement was the most frequent justification for CAM use (95.8%), and 80.6% of users reported an improvement. A non-significant relationship was found between CAM use and patients’ demographics or smoking status.
Conclusion: Zamzam water was the most often utilized CAM, and a significant prevalence of its use was noted among cancer patients. It is advisable to comprehend how CAM might enhance the psychological and bodily traits of cancer patients. To demonstrate strong correlations between CAM use and pertinent parameters, long-term research is needed.
Key words: Utilization, complementary medicine, cancer patients, chemotherapy, Jeddah
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