Table 2 Description and methodological assessment of the included studies
Study ID | Objectives | Participants | Setting | Research design | Methodological assessment (are the results of the study valid? Yes/No/Can’t tell) | Main findings (themes) | Country | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barrett B, 2000 [38] | The nature of practice, healing philosophy, choices of therapeutic methods and ideas about the use of therapeutic modalities | 17 CAM and conventional medicine patients and 20 CAM practitioners | Home office, public places in the Madison, Wisconsin area | Semi structured interviews | Yes | Risk communication and perception, indirect risk and knowledge about CAM | USA | Not reported |
Baynham-Fletcher L, 2008 [39] | Standard for credentialing CIMa therapies between-state and between-institutions | Credentialing process | MD Andersen cancer setting | Descriptive study of the credentialing process for CIMa practitioners | Can’t tell | Information, knowledge and indirect risk about CIMa | USA | Not reported |
Ben-Arye E, 2012 a [34] | Patient-provider communication about complementary approaches and implementation and integration of CMb in health care | 23 articles | Spescial issues of the Journal Patient Education and Counseling | Assessing articles of different qualitative methods, such as literature reviews, empirical descriptive studies and interviews | Can’t tell | Risk communication and indirect risk | International | Not reported |
Ben-Arye E, 2012 b [51] | CAM research in support cancer care | 85 articles in Arabic, Hebrew, French and Turkish | Medline/PubMed, ULAKBIM the Turkish Academic network and Information Centre | Literature review | Yes | Risk communication, direct and indirect risk | Israel, Turkey, Iran, Saudi-Arabia, Palestine, Jordan and Egypt | Not reported |
Ben-Arye E, 2013 [40] | Provide oncologists with models for Integrative CMb within supporting care | Physicians leading six integrative oncology practices | MD Andersen, Penny Brohn, Herdecke Community Hospital, Lin Medical Center, Rambam Health Care Campus, Fundaleu Institute | Descriptive analysis of key elements which facilitates CMb integration | Yes | Indirect risk and communication | USA, UK, Germany, Israel and Argentina | The Israeli Society for Complementary Medicine, the UK College of Medicine, Bnai Zion Medical Center, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Lin Medical center of Clait Health Servises, the Academic Study Group for Israel and the Middle East |
Broom A, 2009 [24] | How oncologists and oncology nurses engage and communicate risks with patients about CAM | 13 oncologists, 12 oncology nurses | Two main hospitals in a state capital city | In-depth interviews | Yes | Risk perception, direct and indirect risk, risk communication, information about CAM and CMe | Australia | Not reported |
Broom AF, 2013 [30] | Excamine oncology clinicians’ accounts of communication with their cancer patiens | 16 medical specialists, 5 oncology nurses and 1 oncology clinical psycologist | Three hospitals and one palliative care service in Dehli | In-depth interviews | Yes | Direct risk, indirect risk and risk communication, information of CAM and CMe | India | Australian Research Council (FT100100294) |
Fox P, 2012 [35] | Different perspectives regarding the role of CAM in the cancer setting | 31 women with breast cancer, 13 oncology nurses, 7 oncologists and 20 CAM practitioners | Not reported | Semi structured interviews | Yes | Indirect risk, direct risk and risk communication | Ireland | Not reported |
Fox P, 2013 [36] | Rate and type of CAM used by women with breast cancer, reasons and perceptions of the utility of the CAM terapies used | 20 oncology professionals (13 oncology nurser, 7 oncologists), 20 CAM practitioners | Not reported | Semi structured interviews, survey | Yes | Indirect risk, direct risk, risk communication | Ireland | Irish Cancer Society |
Frenkel M, 2010 [14] | Overview of the literature regarding communication in cancer care related to the use of CAM. Discuss a possible model of effective patient-physician communication | Not reported | Literature overview | Can’t tell | Indirect risk, risk perception, risk communication | International | No financial support | |
Goldstein, 2003 [41] | The role of CAM in oncology | Theoretical paper | Can’t tell | Indirect risk | USA | Not reported | ||
Jason SL, 2009 [46] | Examine CAM discussion of oncologists, patients and companions on first time consultation visits at comprehensive outpatient clinic for CAM discussions | 93 video tape consultation interactions of 13 oncologists, 93 patients and 82 visit companions | National Cancer Institute-designated cancer senter and teaching hospital outpatient clinic in a large urban Midwestern city | Qualitative observational study | Yes | Risk communication, information about CAM and CMe | USA | Not reported |
Klimenko E, 2007 [31] | Investigate definition of health, disease and healing | 4 medical physicians, 2 psychiatrists, 1 psychologist and 7 CAM practitioners | Delhi process | Yes | Risk perception, indirect risk, risk communication, information about CAM and CMe | USA | Not reported | |
Mackereth PA, 2009 [42] | Uncover complemetary therapists’ motivation to work in cancer/supportive and palliative care setting | 19 nurses, 2 doctors, 3physiotherapists, 27 CAM therapists | One hospice, one cancer care hospital, one cancer care senter | Questionnaire survey followed by semi-structured interviews | Yes | Indirect risk, information about CAM and CMe | UK | The Big Lottery Fund |
Mackereth PA, 2010 [50] | Investigate CAM providers’ challenges of working in cancer care settings and the value of clinical supervision | 15 CAM therapists | Five cancer care senters | Focus group interview | Yes | Indirect risk | UK | Not reported |
Madjar I, 2007 [47] | Provide insigth into how physicians perceive cancer patients who decide to forgo or stop medically recommended therapies | 12 medical and radiation oncologists | Two regional oncology senters | Individual semi-structured interview | Yes | Risk communication, indirect risk | Israel, Australia | Israeli Cancer Association, Newcastle Mater Hospital Margareth Mitchell Research Fund, Australia |
Maha N, 2007 [32] | Explore academic doctors’ use of CAM and its role within the NHSc, along with rationales given for these views | 9 doctors with a dual clinical and academic role | Study participants’ work place | Semi-structured interview | Yes | Indirect risk, risk perception, risk communication, information about CAM and CMe | UK | Not reported |
Mazor KM, 2013 [43] | Assess patient-centered communication in cancer care, stakeholder perspective | 37 cancer patients, 17 family members, 52 clinicians | Cancer research networks, cancer communication research senter | Semi-structured interview | Yes | Indirect risk, risk communication, information about CAM and CMe | A grant from Cancer Communication Research Center (P20CA137219). Cancer research network pilot grant (U19CA79689), grant from National Center for advancing Translational Science ((UI1TR000161) | |
Popper-Giveon A, 2012 [48] | Assess the role of CAM therapists who treat cancer patients to promote patients’ well-being during chemotherapy and advance stage of disease | 27 Arabic therapists (folk healers, complementary therapists and religious-spiritual healers) | Not reported | Semi-structured interviews | Yes | Risk communication | Israel | A grant from Clalit Research Institute by Clalit Health Services |
Popper-Giveon A, 2013 [37] | The attitudes towards integrative medicine among CTMd terapists’ who treat Arab cancerpatients in Israel | 27 arab therapists (folk healers, complementary therapist and religious-spiritual healer) | Not reported | Semi-structured interviews | Yes | Indirect risk, direct risk, risk communication | Israel | A grant from Clalit Research Institute by Clalit Health Services |
Richardson P, 2012 [44] | Highlight the importance of spirituality and religion in cancer care | Not reported | Literature review | Can’t tell | Indirect risk, information about CAM and CMe | USA | Not reported | |
Roberts D, 2005 [33] | Discuss the current policies, perceptions and expectations regarding the use of complementary therapies in cancer care | Different policy documents | Literature review | Can’t tell | Indirect risk, risk communication, risk perception | UK | Not reported | |
Salamonsen A, 2015 [23] | Doctor-patient communication and how this communication influences treatment decisions | 9 patients from the Registry of Exceptional Courses of Disease | Participants’ home or other places where the participants were comfortable | In-depth interview | Yes | Risk communication | Norway | No financial support |
Schiff E, 2011 [52] | Improve communication between physicians and CAM practitioners | One main panel (n = 16), one extended panel (n = 25), one conference discussion forum (n = 247), survey (n = 1254) | Various places | Delphi process and one survey | Yes | Indirect risk, risk communication | Israel | Not reported |
Schofield P, 2010 [25] | Discuss CAM in oncology consultations and develop quidelines | 37 included papers | MedLine, Cinahl and PsyInfo | Systematic literature review | Yes | Risk perception, direct risk, indirect risk, risk communication | Australia | The National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre |
Verhoef M, 2007 [49] | Evaluate a research framework for cancer care using a complex whole system research model | Methodological paper/whole system research | Yes | |||||
Verhoef MJ, 2008 [45] | Physicians’ responsibility to discuss CAM with patients. Ethical perspectives | Opinion of an expert | Yes | Indirect risk | Canada | Supported by The Canadian Cancer Society |