title: Complementary and alternative medicine used by pediatric patients with cancer in western Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the extent of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, the types of therapies employed, and the reasons for choosing those therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive type, cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pediatric oncology department in western Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  112 children receiving or completing treatment for cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of 112 children completed a questionnaire regarding CAM use. Analyses included examining correlations between CAM use and demographic variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  CAM use and demographic variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  77% of the patients used one or more type of CAM, with herb use being the most common.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About 75% of parents used CAM for their children. However, about 25% sought discussion with the physician about the CAM they were using.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses should approach their patients without prejudice, gather information about the various CAM techniques, and share this knowledge with their patients.
authors.affiliation: Izmir Ataturk School of Health, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. rabia.genc@ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: Rabia E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Genc
authors.forename: Selmin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senol
authors.forename: Ayse S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Turgay
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kantar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000451:nursing*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy*; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D014505:Urban Population