Use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients with cancer in Saudi Arabia.
BACKGROUND
The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common among patients with cancer. However, the issue is not well-studied among the Saudi patient population. Our study aimed at determining the patterns of CAM use among patients with cancer in Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study using interview-administered questionnaire was conducted in patients with cancer in the Oncology Department of King Abdulaziz Medical City for National Guards, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Patients were asked about CAM use including dietary supplement (DS) and non-DS remedies. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify predicting factors for CAM use.


RESULTS
A total of 453 adult patients were enrolled in the study, with a median age of 53.5 years (14.7-94.6), and the ratio of females to males was 271/182 (59.8%/40.2%). Of those, 410 patients (90.5%) used some type of CAM remedy. Non-DS remedies were used by 399 patients (88%) and were mainly of a religious nature including reciting the Quran (74.8%), prayer (16%), supplication (13%), and others (3.7%). However, 386 patients (85.2%) used DS including: Zamzam water (59.8%), honey (54.3%), black seed (35.1%), water with the Quran recited over it (29.8%), and other remedies. The majority of patients (90%) used CAM as a cancer treatment and the rest used it for various reasons, such as symptom control or supportive treatment. Only 18% of the patients discussed CAM use with their physicians, compared to 68% discussing it with religious clergypeople (Sheikhs).The univariate analysis revealed that only female gender is a predictor of CAM use, which remained significant in a multivariate analysis, in addition to current employment.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of complementary therapies among Saudi patients with cancer is highly prevalent, with a predominance of interventions of religious background, indicating the strong influence of religion on peoples' lives, especially when people are faced with life-threatening illnesses.
King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, and King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, National Guard Health Affairs Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. jazieha@ngha.med.sa
Abdul Rahman
AR
Jazieh
Reem
R
Al Sudairy
Omalkhair
O
Abulkhair
Ahmed
A
Alaskar
Faisal
F
Al Safi
Nagham
N
Sheblaq
Susan
S
Young
Maher
M
Issa
Hani
H
Tamim
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002977:Clergy; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D031881:Nigella sativa; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012067:Religion; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012737:Sex Factors; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014867:Water; D055815:Young Adult
D014867:Water