Associations between healthy lifestyle behaviors and complementary and alternative medicine use: integrated wellness.
BACKGROUND
Conventional medicine, lifestyle modification, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are potential strategies to decrease the risk of late effects in pediatric cancer survivors. This study aimed to compare the characteristics and usage patterns of CAM and lifestyle therapies among survivors of childhood cancer.


METHODS
We report the results of a cross sectional survey comparing usage patterns of CAM and lifestyle therapies among childhood cancer survivors. CAM therapies were defined by NCCAM classifications and lifestyle therapies were defined as dietary changes, conventional supplements with dietary reference intake values, and exercise.


RESULTS
One hundred fifty-five (95%) patients approached in person and 45 (34%) patients approached by mail consented to participate. Sixty-eight used at least one lifestyle therapy and 58% used at least one CAM therapy. CAM users had 4.7 times the odds of using lifestyle therapies than non-CAM users (P < .0001); the odds of using dietary change and conventional supplements was greater in CAM users than non-CAM users (odds ratio [OR] = 3.55, P < .0001 and OR = 4.80, P < .0001 respectively). Use of the top three CAM therapies was associated with overall lifestyle therapy use (OR = 12.52 and P < .0001, OR = 7.071 and P = .0004, and OR = 2.925 and P = .0089 for juicing, yoga/movement, and touch therapies, respectively). Lifestyle therapies and CAM had similar perceived efficacy (92%-90%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
This data reports a strong association between CAM and lifestyle therapies and may identify a population with commitment to general wellness. Use of one therapy may promote use of other therapies and this potential synergistic relationship can be targeted in future interventions.
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation (JBK, EJL, DHN, KMK), Institute of Human Nutrition (EJL), and Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health (BC), Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (JBK); Office of Work/Life, Columbia University, New York, NY (DHN); Division of Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY (YB).
Joelle B
JB
Karlik
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation (JBK, EJL, DHN, KMK), Institute of Human Nutrition (EJL), and Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health (BC), Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (JBK); Office of Work/Life, Columbia University, New York, NY (DHN); Division of Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY (YB).
Elena J
EJ
Ladas
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation (JBK, EJL, DHN, KMK), Institute of Human Nutrition (EJL), and Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health (BC), Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (JBK); Office of Work/Life, Columbia University, New York, NY (DHN); Division of Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY (YB).
Deborah H
DH
Ndao
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation (JBK, EJL, DHN, KMK), Institute of Human Nutrition (EJL), and Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health (BC), Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (JBK); Office of Work/Life, Columbia University, New York, NY (DHN); Division of Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY (YB).
Bin
B
Cheng
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation (JBK, EJL, DHN, KMK), Institute of Human Nutrition (EJL), and Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health (BC), Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (JBK); Office of Work/Life, Columbia University, New York, NY (DHN); Division of Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY (YB).
YuanYuan
Y
Bao
Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation (JBK, EJL, DHN, KMK), Institute of Human Nutrition (EJL), and Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health (BC), Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (JBK); Office of Work/Life, Columbia University, New York, NY (DHN); Division of Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY (YB). kk291@columbia.edu.
Kara M
KM
Kelly
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012737:Sex Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult