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Table 3 Prevalence and characteristics of CAM use in the study population (n = 180)

From: Complementary and alternative medicine use and its association with quality of life among Lebanese breast cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

Prevalence of CAM use

n (%)

 Used CAM since diagnosis

 

  No

107(59.4)

  Yes

73(40.6)

CAM related characteristics among CAM users (n = 73)

 

 CAM choicea

 

  Media

20 (27.4)

  Family beliefs

20 (27.4)

  Personal choice

18 (24.7)

  Friends

8 (11.0)

  Health care practitioner

3 (4.1)

  Healthy food shop salesman

2 (2.7)

  Alternative medicine therapist

2 (2.7)

 Reasons of CAM usea

 

  Belief in advantages of CAM

67 (91.2)

  Managing cancer complications and slowing its progression

56 (76.7)

  Reduce side effects of conventional therapy

25 (34.2)

  To feel more control over health

23 (31.5)

  Family tradition/culture

22 (30.1)

  Strengthen immunity

18 (24.6)

  Provides energy

11 (15.1)

  Provides hope/prayer

10 (13.7)

  Relief from sorcery and spell

5 (6.6)

  Disappointment from conventional therapy

3 (4.1)

  Curiosity

3 (4.1)

How do you assess the usefulness of CAM

 

  Not at all

5 (6.8)

  Some

43 (58.9)

  A lot, very satisfied

22 (30.1)

  You can’t tell

3 (4.1)

 Side effects from CAM

 

  No

65 (90.3)

  Yes

7 (9.7)

 Would you use CAM again?

 

  No

4 (5.6)

  Yes

53 (73.6)

  Undecided

15 (20.8)

CAM related characteristics among non-users (n = 107)

 

 Reasons for not using CAMa

 

  Lack of belief in the benefits of CAM

36 (33.6)

  Afraid of side effect

30 (28.0)

  The doctor didn’t prescribe CAM

21 (19.6)

  Never heard of CAM

11 (10.3)

  Additional burden

9 (8.4)

 Would you consider using CAM in the future

 

  No

91 (85.8)

  Yes

15 (14.2)

  1. aMore than one answer was applicable