title: Characteristics associated with the use of complementary health approaches among long-term cancer survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to identify the prevalence and characteristics of long-term adult cancer survivors who use complementary health approaches (CHA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed the Follow-up Care Use Among Survivors (FOCUS) Survey, a cross-sectional investigation of long-term cancer survivors. The use of CHA and reasons for use were assessed. A multivariable logistic regression model was applied to identify if predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics described in the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Healthcare Model were associated with CHA use in the past year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Long-term cancer survivors in the study (N = 1,666) were predominately female (62%) and older (mean age = 69.5), with breast, prostate, colorectal, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. Thirty-three percent of survivors used CHA in the past year. Common reasons for CHA use were to relieve stress (28%), treat or prevent cancer (21%), relieve cancer-related symptoms (18%), and deal with another condition (18%). Predisposing (i.e., higher optimism) and need factors (i.e., experienced cancer-related symptoms, ever had depression/anxiety) were significantly associated with CHA (p-values < .05). Enabling factors (i.e., insurance coverage, financial resources) were not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cancer survivors continue to report a high prevalence of recent CHA use more than 5 years after initial diagnosis. Healthcare providers should be aware of increased use of CHA among subgroups of long-term cancer survivors in order to guide safe and optimal use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Sixth Floor, Suite 600, 2525 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37203-1738, USA, Stephanie.Sohl@Vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sohl
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Gurjeet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Birdee
authors.forename: Erin E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: Suzanne C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Danhauer
authors.forename: Ann S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hamilton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors