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Table 4 Communication with patients (n = 606)a

From: Complementary and conventional providers in cancer care: experience of communication with patients and steps to improve communication with other providers

 

Total

Medical doctor (n = 152)

Nurse (n = 91)

Conventional health care provider with dual training (n = 47)

Complementary therapist (n = 316)

p-value

 

n

(%)

n

(%)

n

(%)

n

(%)

n

(%)

 

How often do you ask your cancer patients it they use CT?

.000c

 Never

53

(13.3)

29

(21.0)

9

(15.8)

1

(4.0)

14

(7.8)

 

 Sometimes

152

(38.0)

84

(60.9)

33

(57.9)

6

(24.0)

29

(16.1)

 

 Often/always

195

(48.8)

25

(18.1)

15

(26.4)

18

(72.0)

137

(76.1)

 

How often do you ask your patients about what outcome they expect from CT?

.000c

 Never

36

(8.9)

23

(16.9)

4

(7.1)

1

(3.8)

8

(4.3)

 

 Sometimes

148

(36.5)

71

(52.2)

34

(60.7)

8

(30.8)

35

(18.7)

 

 Often/Always

221

(54.6)

42

(30.9)

18

(32.2)

17

(65.3)

144

(77.0)

 

Do your cancer patients expect the following outcomes from CT?

 

 cure the cancer

131

(21.7)

86

(57.0)

35

(38.5)

1

(2.1)

9

(2.8)

.000b

 slow the progression of cancer

174

(28.8)

92

(60.9)

40

(44,0)

3

(6.4)

39

(12.3)

.000b

 strengthen the immune system

243

(40.2)

71

(47.0)

37

(40.7)

19

(40.4)

116

(37.7)

.209b

 symptoms relief

274

(45.3)

80

(53.0)

32

(35.2)

22

(46.8)

140

(44.3)

.057b

 reduce adverse effects of chemo therapy

236

(39.0)

58

(38.4)

27

(29.7)

22

(46.8)

129

(40.8)

.172b

 improve physical and emotional well being

272

(45.0)

65

(43.0)

28

(30.8)

22

(46.8)

157

(49.7)

.014b

 provide hope and a sense of control

171

(28.3)

59

(39.1)

29

(31.9)

11

(23.4)

72

(22.8)

.002b

 I do not ask my patients about this

23

(3.8)

13

(8.6)

3

(3.3)

0

(0.0)

7

(2.2)

.006c

How do you advice your cancer patients if they ask you about CT?

.000c

 Discourage use

14

(3.6)

10

(7.4)

2

(3.6)

0

(0.0)

2

(1.1)

 

 Encourage use

100

(25.6)

3

(2.2)

4

(7.3)

11

(42.3)

82

(47.1)

 

 Neither

177

(45.4)

81

(60.0)

30

(54.5)

10

(38.5)

56

(32.2)

 

 Other

99

(25.4)

41

(30.3)

19

(34.5)

5

(19.2)

34

(19.5)

 

How do you advise your cancer patients if they ask you about conventional treatment?

.002c

 Discourage use

2

(0.5)

0

(0.0)

0

(0.0)

0

(0.0)

2

(1.1)

 

 Encourage use

309

(78.2)

117

(86.7)

42

(77.8)

21

(84.0)

129

(71.3)

 

 Neither

46

(11.6)

5

(3.7)

6

(11.1)

4

(16.0)

31

(17.1)

 

 Other

38

(9.6)

13

(9.6)

6

(11.1)

0

(0.0)

19

(10.5)

 
  1. aDue to multiple response to some of the questions and lack of response from participants the analyzed numbers do not always add up to the total number
  2. bPearson Chi-square test
  3. cFisher’s exact test
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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

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