title: Integration of complementary medicine in supportive cancer care: survey of health-care providers' perspectives from 16 countries in the Middle East.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this multinational Middle-Eastern study, we assessed health-care providers' (HCPs) perspectives on their patients' use of complementary and traditional medicine (CTM) and identified the leading barriers to CTM integration in supportive cancer care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 17-item questionnaire was developed and administered to HCPs attending palliative medicine workshops conducted across the Middle East by the Middle East Cancer Consortium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  339 HCPs from 16 countries across the Middle East completed the questionnaire (80.3 % response rate). Respondents perceived their patients' reasons for CTM use primarily in the context of cancer cure (63 %) and quality of life (QOL) improvement (57 %). Expectation regarding CTM's role in cancer cure/survival was more pronounced in Turkey, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, and the Persian Gulf area. In contrast, the expectation that CTM would improve QOL was more emphasized in Israel. A mid-position between the cure/survival and QOL poles was observed in Cyprus, Lebanon, and the North African countries. Leading barriers to CTM integration in supportive cancer care included oncologists' skepticism and a gap between patients' expectations and HCP's objectives. Respondents' leading recommendation to HCPs was to communicate integrative care emphasizing well-being and improved functioning in accordance with their patients' health beliefs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CTM integration in supportive cancer care can be facilitated by implementing a platform for Middle Eastern clinical collaborations. HCPs' expectations and experiences with CTM have been positive in the oncology setting. These data need to be corroborated with information of patients' expectations on the provision of CTM over all phases of the oncology treatment.
authors.affiliation: Integrative Oncology Program, The Oncology Service and Lin Medical Center, Clalit Health Services, 35 Rothschild St., Haifa, Western Galilee District, Israel, eranben@netvision.net.il.
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Arye
authors.forename: Elad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: Kamer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mutafoglu
authors.forename: Suha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omran
authors.forename: Ramzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hajjar
authors.forename: Haris
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Charalambous
authors.forename: Tahani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dweikat
authors.forename: Ibtisam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghrayeb
authors.forename: Gil Bar
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Sela
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Turker
authors.forename: Azza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Esmat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Ariela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popper-Giveon
authors.forename: Bashar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nimri
authors.forename: Rejin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kebudi
authors.forename: Jamal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dagash
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silbermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires