title: Use and perceived benefits of complementary therapies by cancer patients receiving conventional treatment in Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Italy, data regarding the use of complementary therapies (CTs) among patients with cancer are sparse and discordant.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to investigate the demographic and psychological characteristics of Italian cancer patients who use CTs and the perceived benefit of users.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight hundred three patients from six Italian oncology departments were interviewed about CT use and completed two questionnaires to explore psychological distress and the resilience trait called sense of coherence (SOC). Patients included in the study had different primary tumor sites and were in different phases of the disease and care process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the time of measurement, 37.9% of patients were using one or more types of CTs. The most commonly used CTs were diets and dietary supplements (27.5%), herbs (10.8%), homeopathy (6.4%), and mind-body therapies (5.5%). The Italian context is characterized by a high percentage of patients who informed their physicians about CT use (66.3%) and who experienced benefits (89.6%); 75.2% of the patients had used CTs in the past. Multivariate analysis revealed that young, female patients, who previously used complementary and alternative medicine in the past, appear more likely to use at least one type of CT in the present. Predictors of the use of CTs varied according to the type of CT. Among psychological factors, SOC was positively associated with both past and present CT use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall prevalence of CTs among Italian cancer patients is high and is in accordance with the European average. In addition to clinical and sociodemographic factors, the resilience trait SOC also was associated with CT use.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Descriptive Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPO), Florence, Italy; Centro Studi e Ricerca Synthesis, Florence, Italy. Electronic address: andreabonacchi@centrosynthesis.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonacchi
authors.affiliation: Centro Studi e Ricerca Synthesis, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fazzi
authors.affiliation: Centro Studi e Ricerca Synthesis, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toccafondi
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica AUSL 1 Massa Carrara, Carrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cantore
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica AUSL 1 Massa Carrara, Carrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mambrini
authors.affiliation: Centro Riabilitazione Oncologica (CERION), Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPO), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Muraca
authors.affiliation: Centro Riabilitazione Oncologica (CERION), Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPO), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Banchelli
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica AUSL 4 di Prato, Prato, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Panella
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica Aziendale AUSL 10, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Focardi
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica Aziendale AUSL 10, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calosi
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Careggi-Firenze, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Costanzo
authors.affiliation: Service of Psychosomatic Medicine, U.O. Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosselli
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Descriptive Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPO), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miccinesi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015995:Prevalence; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cancer; complementary therapy; oncology; psychological distress; sense of coherence