Improving Patient-Centered Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Prior Use and Interest in Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches Among Hospitalized Oncology Patients.
OBJECTIVE
To describe cancer inpatients' prior-year use of complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapies and interest in receiving CIH therapies while in the hospital.


METHODS
Observational, cross-sectional survey of prior-year use of 12 different CIH approaches and interest in receiving any of 7 CIH services in the hospital.


METHODS
Surgical oncology ward of an academic medical center.


METHODS
166 hospitalized oncology patients, with an average age of 54 years.


RESULTS
The most commonly used CIH approach was vitamins/nutritional supplements (67%), followed by use of a special diet (42%) and manual therapies (39%). More than 40% of patients expressed interest in each of the therapies if it was offered during their hospital stay, and 95% of patients were interested in at least one. More than 75% expressed interest in nutritional counseling and in massage. CIH use and interest varied somewhat by demographic and clinical characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
Rates of CIH use among patients with cancer were high, as were their preferences to have these services available in the inpatient setting. Hospitals have the opportunity to provide patient-centered care by developing capacity to provide inpatient CIH services.
1 Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California , San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Rhianon
R
Liu
2 Departments of Anesthesiology and Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University , Loma Linda, CA.
Alexandra
A
Chang
1 Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California , San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.|3 Division of Hospital Medicine, University of California , San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Sanjay
S
Reddy
1 Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California , San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Frederick M
FM
Hecht
1 Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California , San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.|4 Division of General Internal Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital, University of California , San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Maria T
MT
Chao
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D055048:Integrative Medicine; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D044623:Nutrition Therapy; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D018802:Patient-Centered Care