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PubMedDate not supplied

The use of herbal therapies in pediatric oncology patients: treating symptoms of cancer and side effects of standard therapies.

Complementary and alternative medicine is increasing in use in the pediatric oncology population. Although there is a multitude of herbal therapies used, the focus of this article is a review of the literature addressing some herbal therapies used to treat the symptoms of cancer and side effects of traditional methods of treatment. Ginger is used in the treatment of nausea and vomiting. St. John's wort is successful in treating depression and anxiety. Echinacea is used as an immunostimulant. Herbal therapies in the pediatric oncology population are usually initiated and managed by parents. Many herbal therapies are beneficial, but some potential herb-drug interactions should be considered. This poses a challenge to the oncology nurse because herbal treatments are managed by the parents and pharmaceuticals are managed by the practitioner. Educating the patient, family, and practitioner is important in ensuring a thorough health history assessment and, subsequently, safe and effective herbal and pharmacological therapies.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2003

The use of complementary medicines by those with asthma.

Complementary therapies attract considerable media attention and previous surveys of members of an asthma patient organisation suggested that their use by those with asthma was commonplace. This report concerns a study of a stratified cross section of the asthma population designed to give a more representative insight into current usage of complementary therapies. A sift questionnaire was used to identify those with asthma and 785 of those so identified undertook a semi-structured face-to-face interview. Only 6% of the study population were current users of complementary therapies with use being more common amongst those who expressed most concern regarding their current medication. Low use of complementary therapies may well reflect satisfaction with current management and suggests that previous surveys may have been unrepresentative of a more balanced population of those with asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Complementary treatments for eczema in children.

1. Complementary therapies are just that and not an alternative to routine therapies. 2. The growing use of complementary therapies for eczema reflects a renewed interest in self-medication and a declining belief in orthodox medicine. 3. Prior to using essential oils, nurses should check for sensitivity to certain oils. 4. Herbalism offers a number of approaches to the treatment of eczema.

Child↗
PubMed2005

Menopausal symptoms after cessation of hormone replacement therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of recurrent menopausal symptoms among post-menopausal women who discontinued hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after the publication of the women's health initiative (WHI) study and to describe the therapeutic strategies employed to address these symptoms. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 1000 post-menopausal women seen consecutively at an internal medicine practice from January 2004 to May 2004. RESULTS: Among 1000 post-menopausal women, 205 (21%) had discontinued HRT due to the WHI results. Menopausal symptoms were present in 91/205 (44%) women, with 52/205 (25%) having vasomotor symptoms, 51/205 (25%) urogenital complaints, and 10/205 (5%) mood-related symptoms. Out of the 91 symptomatic women, only 55 (60%) received therapy to relieve their symptoms. The most commonly employed treatments were topical estrogen in 33/91 (36%) women, complementary therapies in 18/91 (20%) women, and venlafaxine in 13/91 (14%) women. Among complementary therapies, the most frequent were black cohosh used by 8/91 (9%) women and soy by 7/91 (8%) women. CONCLUSIONS: Many post-menopausal women developed typical menopausal symptoms after discontinuation of HRT, with vasomotor and urogenital complaints being the most commonly reported. Topical estrogen, complementary therapies, and venlafaxine were the most usual treatments for menopausal symptoms. However, a large number of symptomatic women remained untreated.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Severity of menopausal symptoms and use of both conventional and complementary/alternative therapies.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and correlates of using conventional therapies, complementary and alternative therapies, or a combination of both types of therapies for menopausal symptoms and to examine the association between severity of symptoms and type of therapy use. DESIGN: Data on 2,602 women aged 45 years or older were gathered through a cross-sectional telephone survey conducted in Florida, Minnesota, and Tennessee during 1997 and 1998 using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Participants were asked a series of questions about their menopausal status, menopausal symptoms, healthcare provider selection in relation to menopause, and therapies used for menopausal symptoms. RESULTS: Of the eight menopausal symptoms assessed, the highest prevalence estimates were reported for hot flashes (62.9%), night sweats (48.3%), and trouble sleeping (41.1%). The average number of symptoms (range 0-8) was 3.10 (SD +/- 2.25) and, for women reporting symptoms, the average symptom severity score (range 1-24) was 6.78 (SD +/-4.63). About 45% of the women had not consulted with a healthcare provider for treatment of menopausal symptoms or for medical conditions related to menopause even though only 16.3% did not report any of the symptoms included in the survey. Forty-six percent of the women used complementary/alternative therapy either alone or in combination with conventional therapies. Age-adjusted average symptom severity scores were significantly higher among women who had undergone a hysterectomy, with removal of the ovaries (7.73; 95% CI 7.33,8.12) or without (7.60; 95% CI 7.16,8.05), than among women who experienced a natural menopause (6.42; 95% CI 6.14,6.71). Average severity scores were significantly higher among women who used both conventional and complementary/alternative therapies in relation to menopause (8.61; 95% CI 8.26,8.96) than among women who used only conventional therapies (7.09; 95% CI 6.67,7.50). This statistically significant association persisted when adjusted for age, education, income, race/ethnicity, state of residence, and menopausal category. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, 46% of the women used complementary/alternative therapy either alone or in combination with conventional therapies, whereas a third of the women did not use any therapy in relation to menopause. Although causal inferences cannot be made, the menopausal symptom severity score was significantly higher among women who reported using a combination of conventional and complementary/alternative therapies than among women who used only conventional therapy, only complementary/alternative, or no therapy.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Alternative medicine].

In a critical situation of world official medicine, we can find different alternatives therapies: natural therapy traditional and complementary, survival sometimes, of antique stiles and conditions of life. New sciences presented for them empiricism to the margin of official science. Doctors and sorcerer do the best to defeat the horrible virus that contribute to build symbols categories of sick. The alternatives put dangerously in game the scientific myth of experiment and exhume, if they got lost, antique remedy, almost preserved like cultural wreck very efficient where the medicine is impotent. Besides alternatives and complementary therapies, that are remedies not recognized conventional from official medicine, there are the homeopathic, phytotherapy, pranotherapy, nutritional therapy, the ayurveda, the yoga, ecc. Italians and internationals research show a composite picture of persons that apply that therapies. Object of this work is to understand and know the way that sick lighten their sufferings and role that have o that can assume the nurses to assist this sick.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2005

Referrals to a voluntary sector cancer day care centre: a descriptive study.

In the UK, recent guidance on supportive and palliative care has acknowledged the contribution of voluntary organizations, including their role in palliative day care. Similarly, research has tended to focus exclusively on palliative day care as opposed to comparable care for people with cancer, regardless of prognosis. This paper describes a case record review study conducted at a nurse-led voluntary sector cancer day care centre. The study focused on referrals over a one-year period in terms of user demographics, referral sources/reasons and subsequent care given. It was found that 220 referrals (including 106 self-referrals) were made during the year. Of these, 70.9% were people with cancer and the remainder were carers/bereaved people. Those referred broadly reflected national statistics on age, gender and cancer diagnosis. Carers were rarely referred by professionals, few lived in inner-city neighbourhoods and some had no informal support. Non-specific referral reasons, such as 'support', tended to be translated into specific therapies, such as complementary therapies and counselling, at initial assessment. Care offered at the centre appeared to supplement and complement that provided by local statutory services. The study raised issues for practice and further research that may be relevant to those working in similar centres.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Surveys of complementary and alternative medicine: Part II. Use of alternative and complementary cancer therapies.

The second part of this series on surveys of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the United States provides a "point-of-information" summary of the studies on patients with cancer and their use of CAM therapies. Surveys of patients with cancer were the precursors of the recent wave of studies on CAM prevalence and use. Three tables summarize the findings from a total of 18 surveys categorized by Childhood Cancer, Adult Cancer, and Breast Cancer studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Review of literature on the effectiveness of reflexology.

Public interest in complementary therapies continues to grow and many nurses and midwives are incorporating complementary therapies such as reflexology, aromatherapy and massage into their clinical practice. However, there are concerns regarding the use of such therapies when their effectiveness has not been clearly demonstrated. This article is a review of the literature relating to the effectiveness of reflexology. Anecdotal evidence is described and concerns relating to the literature's reliance on personal beliefs and experiences are presented. The need for research evidence to demonstrate effectiveness is highlighted. A critical review of published research studies is presented which focuses in particular on methodological issues such as the use of the randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of complementary therapies such as reflexology.

Diffusion of Innovation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Resource use in women completing treatment for breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To explore resources used by women completing treatment for breast cancer, how they learned about them, and the psychological factors that predicted their use. DESIGN: A questionnaire on resource use was administered as part of a randomized clinical trial which assessed subjects' psychosocial characteristics and tested the outcomes of a psychosocial intervention. SETTING: Women completing treatment for breast cancer were recruited from the oncology departments of three university-teaching hospitals in Montreal. A questionnaire gathered data on the resources used by the subjects, how they learned about them, and the role of the health care team in their decision-making. Emotional distress, dimensions of coping effort, a sense of control and optimism were also measured. RESULTS: Five categories of resources were explored; professional services, informal support networks, informational resources, support organizations and complementary therapies. Most women found out about the last two resources by themselves. Women who used cancer support organizations or complementary therapies scored high on the use of problem-solving coping and low on the use of escape/avoidance coping. In addition they were moderately optimistic, had a slightly lower sense of personal control and were somewhat more distressed than the non-users. The use of support organizations and complementary therapies appears to represent a thoughtful approach to dealing with the distress of cancer. The opinion of the oncologist regarding resource use was valued by nearly half of the sample.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

Complementary therapeutic practices in patients with chronic sinusitis.

Understanding patient use of alternative and complementary modalities to treat chronic health conditions is an important component to providing holistic care. This study sought to identify traditional and complementary therapies used by patients with chronic sinusitis. Eighty-one percent of patients with chronic sinusitis engaged in physical exercise to relieve symptoms. Additional complementary therapies utilized included herbal therapy (32%), chiropractic therapy (16%), biofeedback (13%), acupuncture (11%), and chelation therapy (7%). Medications were commonly used by patients (60%), especially those with severe symptoms. By recognizing and incorporating effective complementary therapies into care for chronic sinusitis, nurse practitioners may help patients to improve their clinical outcomes.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Integrative medicine in hematology/oncology: benefits, ethical considerations, and controversies.

Integrative Medicine (IM), a newly emerging field, has evolved from Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). CAM refers to diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered part of conventional medicine and generally have limited scientific evidence. In the US, CAM is a multi-billion dollar, unregulated industry with potential benefits and risks to consumers, including cancer patients, who are high utilizers of complementary therapies. Patients' CAM use often is unsupervised by physicians, yet patients need the advice and guidance of their hematologists/oncologists as part of total cancer care. Ethical and legal issues physicians need to address include inquiring about and educating patients regarding potential interactions (e.g., drug-herb, radiation-antioxidant) or product contaminants, while discussing other therapies that may alleviate symptoms and/or improve quality of life. Administratively, CAM offerings in medical settings require relevant policies and procedures, such as properly credentialing practitioners and providing financial assistance counseling for those who cannot afford fee-for-service. Unlike "Alternative Medicine," the goal of IM is to combine mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies (e.g., acupuncture, meditation, music therapy) that have some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness. The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO), a new international organization of oncology professionals studying and integrating effective complementary therapies in cancer care, serves as a forum for presenting scientific data on these therapies while emphasizing the importance of developing infrastructure that promotes IM principles and practices. The ultimate goal is to develop multidisciplinary expertise and therapeutic synergy between conventional and complementary therapies.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2001

[Attitudes and exposuer of Israeli medical students to complementary medicine--a survey].

The use of alternative medicine is increasing rapidly and currently includes more than a third of the adult population in the US. Hence, two-thirds of US medical schools are presently including courses in complementary or alternative medicine as part of their curriculum. We addressed the deans of the four medical schools in Israel in order to determine the exposure of Israeli medical students to theoretical and practical aspects of complementary therapies within the curriculum, as well as future plans to include such programs. We also surveyed 154 medical students attending the Hebrew University medical school in order to ascertain interest and knowledge regarding complementary medicine, as well as their views on the introduction of these topics as part of their educational program. Most of the medical students were interested in learning about complementary therapies. Ninety-three percent stated that they would like to include an elective course in complementary medicine as part of the medical school program. Fifty four percent of the students surveyed had prior theoretical knowledge of complementary therapies through personal reading or had practical experience through treatments or courses. The present curriculum of Israeli medical schools, excluding Ben Gurion University, does not meet the students' growing interests in complementary medicine. However, all schools are considering the possibility of including these topics in future educational programs.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗