title: Giving voice to cancer patients: assessing non-specific effects of an integrative oncology therapeutic program via short patient narratives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess patient perspectives regarding non-specific effects of a complementary medicine (CM) consultation and intervention within an integrative oncology setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing chemotherapy in a community-based oncology service were referred by oncology healthcare providers to an integrative oncology physician trained in CM-oriented supportive care. Assessment of concerns and well-being was made using the Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing questionnaire, at baseline and after 3 months of CM treatments, which were designed to improve quality of life (QoL) outcomes. Patients were asked to describe the most important aspects of the integrative treatment process. Free-text narratives were examined using content analysis with ATLAS.Ti software for systematic coding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 152 patients' narratives analyzed, 44% reported an experience of patient-centered care, including CM practitioners' approach of togetherness, uniqueness, and the invoking of an internal process. CM practitioner approach was experienced within a context of an enhanced sense of confidence; gaining a different perspective; and acquiring emotional resilience and empowerment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short patient narratives should be considered for patient-reported outcomes, expressing perspectives of both effects and experience of care. CM may promote patient QoL-related outcomes through non-specific effects, enhancing patient-centered care. The benefits of CM dependent on general therapeutic incidental aspects (i.e., common factors) warrant attention regarding non-specific components of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Western Galilee Academic College, Galilee, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Keshet
authors.forename: Elad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: Noah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Arye
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055048:Integrative Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D036301:Qualitative Research
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: cancer; integrative medicine; narrative-based medicine; oncology; supportive care