Table 7 Special diets, physical activity and spiritual practices used by cancer patients, reason(s) for use, and adverse effects of treatment
Reason(s) for use (multiple choice) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Women | Men | p-value | To treat cancer or prevent it from spreading | To treat side effects or late effects of cancer/ cancer treatment | To strengthen the body / immune system | To increase quality of life, for coping, relaxation or well-being | Other reasons | Adverse effects of treatment | |
% (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | ||
Special diets | 2.9 (13) | 2.7 (8) | 3.4 (5) | 0.766^ | 84.6 (11) | 38.4 (5) | 76.9 (10) | 38.4 (5) | 0.0 (0) | 30.8 (4) |
Juice diet (carrot, beetroot, apricot etc.) | 1.8 (8) | 1.7 (5) | 2.0 (3) | 0.723^ | 62.5 (5) | 50.0 (4) | 87.5 (7) | 50.0 (4) | 0.0 (0) | 50.0 (4) |
Breuss diet | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Budwig diet | 1.3 (6) | 1.3 (4) | 1.4 (2) | 1.000^ | 100 (6) | 16.6 (1) | 66.7 (4) | 16.6 (1) | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) |
Gerson therapy | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Macrobiotic diet | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Ornish diet | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Physical activity | 93.3 (405) | 92.8 (270) | 94.4 (135) | 0.525* | 8.9 (36) | 44.9 (182) | 73.6 (298) | 91.6 (372) | 8.9 (36) | 11.4 (46) |
Walks in the nature | 84.3 (366) | 84.9 (247) | 83.2 (119) | 0.591* | 7.1 (26) | 37.2 (136) | 69.1 (253) | 92.9 (340) | 3.0 (11) | - |
Walks along the road | 74.9 (325) | 76.6 (222) | 72.0 (103) | 0.360* | 5.5 (18) | 35.7 (116) | 64.9 (211) | 78.8 (256) | 5.5 (18) | - |
Gym | 42.4 (184) | 43.0 (125) | 41.3 (59) | 0.737* | 8.7 (16) | 45.1 (83) | 78.3 (144) | 83.7 (154) | 4.9 (9) | - |
Customized training program | 41.5 (180) | 45.4 (132) | 33.6 (48) | 0.016* | 6.7 (12) | 51.1 (92) | 78.9 (142) | 87.2 (157) | 5.6 (10) | - |
Skiing (cross country, slalom) | 26.3 (114) | 26.5 (77) | 25.9 (37) | 0.848* | 9.6 (11) | 39.4 (45) | 71.1 (81) | 94.7 (108) | 8.8 (10) | - |
Jogging/running | 21.2 (92) | 21.0 (61) | 21.7 (31) | 0.836* | 12.0 (11) | 47.8 (44) | 84.8 (78) | 93.5 (86) | 5.4 (5) | - |
Ball games (e.g. football, handball) | 1.6 (7) | 1.0 (3) | 2.8 (4) | 0.224^ | 0.0 (0) | 14.3 (1) | 85.7 (6) | 100 (7) | 14.3 (1) | - |
Other physical activity | 48.2 (209) | 50.2 (146) | 44.1 (63) | 0.240* | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Spiritual practices | 30.4 (132) | 32.3 (94) | 26.6 (38) | 0.267* | 31.8 (42) | 12.9 (17) | 9.8 (13) | 44.7 (59) | 42.4 (56) | 1.6 (2) |
Prayer for one-self | 19.6 (85) | 20.6 (60) | 17.5 (25) | 0.429* | 16.5 (14) | 8.2 (7) | 9.4 (8) | 55.3 (47) | 42.4 (36) | - |
Prayed for by others | 19.6 (85) | 20.6 (60) | 17.5 (25) | 0.471* | 42.4 (36) | 16.5 (14) | 8.2 (7) | 25.9 (22) | 37.6 (32) | - |
Participation in religious assembly | 3.9 (17) | 3.4 (10) | 4.9 (7) | 0.470* | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 76.5 (13) | 35.3 (6) | - |
Contact with religious healer | 0.7 (3) | 0.3 (1) | 1.4 (2) | 0.254^ | 66.7 (2) | 33.3 (1) | 0.0 (0) | 66.7 (2) | 0.0 (0) | - |
Shamanism | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | 0.0 (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Other spiritual practices | 3.2 (14) | 3.1 (9) | 3.5 (5) | 0.782^ | - | - | - | - | - | - |