title: Complementary therapy use by cancer patients. Physicians' perceptions, attitudes, and ideas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore family physicians' perceptions of their cancer patients' use of complementary therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  British Columbia and Alberta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rural and urban family physicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five focus groups were conducted with a total of 28 participants. Content analysis of focus group transcripts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight themes were identified: definition of complementary therapies, importance of holistic health, role of evidence, attitudes toward complementary therapies, perceptions of cancer patients' use of complementary therapies, patient-physician communication, perceptions of family physicians' role with respect to complementary therapies, and concerns about complementary therapies. Family physicians believed that many of their patients were using complementary therapies and that patients and physicians needed to communicate about this practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study increased understanding of physicians'perspectives on communication about complementary therapies and exposed issues that need to be addressed through education and research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, AB. obeirne@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Maeve
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Beirne
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verhoef
authors.forename: Elan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paluck
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herbert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001955:British Columbia; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data