[Parents-interview on use of complementary and alternative medicine in pediatric oncology in Germany].
BACKGROUND
There are no published data on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in pediatric oncology in Germany.


METHODS
All parents of children, who where diagnosed a disease registered in the German Childhood Registry in 2001 were sent a questionnaire to evaluate possible CAM-use.


RESULTS
1 602 questionnaires were sent to the families, from whom 1 063 sent the questionnaire back to us. They reported a 35 % CAM-use-rate. The probability to use CAM was positively influenced by preexisting experience with CAM, higher social level and poor prognosis. 71 % of the users discussed the CAM-use with a physician. The reason for CAM-use seldom was missing trust in conventional medicine. 89 % of the CAM-users would recommend CAM-use to other parents in a comparable situation.


CONCLUSIONS
The reported CAM-use rate of 35 % in pediatric oncology in Germany is as reported in the international literature for other European countries. Essential parts of CAM-advise and -prescription are done by non-professionals, so that there is a need to get competence in CAM in pediatric oncology in Germany.
Längler
A
A
Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus, Abteilung für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Herdecke. a.laengler@gemeinschaftskrankenhaus.de
Spix
C
C
Gottschling
S
S
Graf
N
N
Kaatsch
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010290:Parents; D011336:Probability; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires