Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Cam) Use Among Turkish Surgical Patients

• Published in: International journal of caring sciences Vol. 9; no. 2; p. 603
• Main Authors: Culha, Ilkay, Kosgeroglu, Nedime, TüreMSc, Aysun, Kersu, Ozlem, Ayvazcik, Ayse
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nicosia Professor Despina Sapountzi - Krepia Publisher of the International Journal of Caring Sciences 01-05-2016
• Subjects: Alternative medicine; Cancer; Chronic illnesses; Diabetes; Heart attacks; Hospitals; Hypertension; Information sources; Medical treatment; Methods; Reiki; Researchers; Studies; Turkey
• ISSN: 1791-5201; 1792-037X

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in both Turkey and throughout the world is on the increase among the general population. To determine the factors affecting use of and frequency use of CAM among Turkish surgical patients. The research was carried out at surgical clinics with 276 patients between 1 July 2015-1 August 2015. Data were collected with a questionnaire containing socio-demographic information and CAM usage and were evaluated by Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. 67% of patients have been using some kinds of CAM. Green tea / herbal tea (31.5%), garlic (19.6%) and ginger (16.3%) were the most herbal products. Praying (39.9%), massage (34.8%) and thermal water / spa (26.1%) were the most alternative therapies. Reasons for using CAM were pain 44.6%), stress (32.6%) and also 8.7% of patients have used these methods to cope with the problem that requires surgery. Surgical patients have beliefs that CAM methods could support medical treatment (42.8%) and cause physically relaxing (33.3%). Sources of information about CAM were relatives/neighbors (57.2%), friends (36.6%) and TV / radio (36.6%) respectively. There was found significant relationship between gender, profession, income level and having chronic disease (p = 0.001; p = 0.012; p = 0.030; p = 0.041 respectively). More than half of the patients in the study use CAM, nearly half of them think CAM could support the medical treatment. Most sources of information are people around them.