Use of complementary and alternative medicine and quality of life: changes at the end of life

The purpose of this study was to compare the physical, psychological and social dimensions associated with quality-of-life outcomes over the last year of life, between advanced cancer users and nonusers of complementary and alternative medicine. One hundred and eleven patients were identified throug...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Palliative medicine 2003-12, Vol.17 (8), p.695-703
Main Authors: Correa-Velez, Ignacio, Clavarino, Alexandra, Barnett, Adrian G, Eastwood, Heather
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Alternative medicine
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
Australia
Biological and medical sciences
Cancer
Complementary Therapies
Female
Humans
Intensive care medicine
Interviews
Longitudinal studies
Male
Medical research
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neoplasms - psychology
Neoplasms - therapy
Palliative care
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Patient Satisfaction
Quality of Life
Queensland
Surveys and Questionnaires
Terminally Ill - psychology
Terminally ill people
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to compare the physical, psychological and social dimensions associated with quality-of-life outcomes over the last year of life, between advanced cancer users and nonusers of complementary and alternative medicine. One hundred and eleven patients were identified through Queensland Cancer Registry records, and followed up every four to six weeks until close to death using standardized protocols. Outcome measures were symptom burden, psychological distress, subjective wellbeing, satisfaction with conventional medicine and need for control over treatment decisions. At the initial interview, 36 (32%) participants had used complementary/alternative medicine the previous week; mainly vitamins, minerals and tonics and herbal remedies. Among all participants, 53 (48%) used at least one form of complementary/alternative medicine over the study period. Only six (11%) visited alternative practitioners on a regular basis. Overall, complementary/alternative medicine users reported higher levels of anxiety and pain, less satisfaction with conventional medicine and lower need for control over treatment decisions compared with nonusers. These differences tend to change as death approaches. A more rigorous assessment of complementary/alternative medicine use, psychological distress, pain and subjective wellbeing among patients with advanced cancer is needed in the clinical setting.
ISSN:0269-2163
1477-030X
DOI:10.1191/0269216303pm834oa