Trends and patterns of complementary and alternative medicine use among cancer patients in Jordan: a decade comparison.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses healthcare practices beyond conventional medical care. Despite advancements in oncology treatment, CAM use remains prevalent among patients with cancer. In Jordan, while CAM usage is common, particularly involving herbalists and sp...

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Publicado en:BMC Complementary Medicine & Therapies Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 1 - 10
Autores principales: Al-Rawashdeh, Nedal, Alqudimat, Mohammad, Alananzeh, Ibrahim, Kasasbeh, Nour, Ammar, Khawlah, Al-Omari, Amal
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: BioMed Central 8/26/2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Trends and patterns of complementary and alternative medicine use among cancer patients in Jordan: a decade comparison.
      aug:
        au:
          Al-Rawashdeh, Nedal
          Alqudimat, Mohammad
          Alananzeh, Ibrahim
          Kasasbeh, Nour
          Ammar, Khawlah
          Al-Omari, Amal
        affil: https://ror.org/0564xsr50 The Office of Scientific Affairs and Research, King Hussein Cancer Center, 11941, Amman, Jordan
      sug:
        subj:
          Cancer Patients Jordan
          Alternative Therapies Utilization
          Alternative Therapies Trends
          Health Resource Utilization Trends
          Human
          Jordan
          Herbalists
          Spiritual Healing
          Medical Practice
          Patient Education
          Cross Sectional Studies
          Professional-Patient Relations
          Communication
          Patient Attitudes
          Descriptive Statistics
          Plants, Medicinal Therapeutic Use
          Vitamins Therapeutic Use
          Medically Uninsured
          Age Factors
          Odds Ratio
          Confidence Intervals
          Data Analysis Software
          Chi Square Test
          Fisher's Exact Test
          Analysis of Variance
          Multiple Logistic Regression
          Adolescence
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Male
          Female
          Adolescent: 13-18 years
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses healthcare practices beyond conventional medical care. Despite advancements in oncology treatment, CAM use remains prevalent among patients with cancer. In Jordan, while CAM usage is common, particularly involving herbalists and spiritual healers, data on its patterns among patients with cancer are limited. This study compared CAM use among cancer patients in Jordan between 2013 and 2022, aiming to identify changing trends, associated factors, and implications for clinical practice and patient education. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to adult cancer patients in Jordan in 2013 and 2022. In 2013, participants were recruited from four facilities, including the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC), whereas in 2022, recruitment was exclusively at KHCC. Patients completed a validated semi-structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic information, CAM usage patterns, communication with healthcare providers, and perceptions of CAM. Results: The prevalence of CAM use has decreased from 49.4% (n = 400) in 2013 to 32.8% (n = 124) in 2022. Natural health products such as herbs, vitamins, and special foods remained the most commonly used CAM therapies in both surveys. Despite the overall decrease in CAM usage, the frequency among users increased, with daily use reported by 65.9% in 2022 compared to 55.3% in 2013. The perceived benefits of CAM have significantly declined from 86.6% in 2013 to 31.9% in 2022. Communication about CAM use with healthcare providers remains low, although it slightly improves from 35.2% in 2013 to 46.3% in 2022. In 2013, younger age at diagnosis and treatment completion were independently associated with higher CAM use. In contrast, 2022 data identified lack of health insurance as the sole independent predictor of CAM use (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.820, 95% CI: 1.007–3.289). Conclusion: Over the past decade, CAM use among Jordanian patients with cancer has significantly decreased, although current users engage more intensively. The decline in perceived benefits and the persistent communication gap with healthcare providers underscores the necessity for educational programs targeting both patients and clinicians. Such interventions could enhance dialogue regarding CAM, ensure safer integration with conventional treatments, and potentially improve patient outcomes by preventing harmful interactions.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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