Effects of Oncology Patients’ Health Literacy on Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapy

Abstract

Context circle Health literacy is defined as the capacity of an individual to acquire, interpret, and understand basic health information and services to improve their health. Cancer patients often turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to cope with diagnosis and treatment processes. Objectives circle The study aimed to determine the effects of health-literacy levels on oncology patients' use of CAM. Design circle The research team conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study. Using a 95% confidence interval and a 0.95 power ratio, with the analysis performed in the G Power statistical analysis program, version 3.1, the study sample was calculated to be a minimum 120 people. Setting circle The study took place in Turkey in the outpatient chemotherapy and oncology unit at Ondokuz Mayis University's Health Application and Research Center between February 2019 and January 2020. Participants circle Participants were 200 oncology patients treated in the unit. Outcome Measures circle The data were collected using an introductory information form, the Health Literacy Scale (HLS), and the Holistic Complementary and Alternative Health Questionnaire (HCAMQ). Results were analyzed using percentages, means, and the Spearman correlation analysis, Mann Whitney U, and Kruskal Walls tests. Results circle Of the 200 participants, 54% were women; 38.0% were between the ages of 57 and 69; 53.5% were primary school graduates; and 36% were Stage-4 cancer patients. The most common side effect of chemotherapy was fatigue and weakness, with 80.5% experiencing those symptoms. Concerning CAM use, 42.5% used at least one CAM method, and 44.7% of those individuals stated that they resorted to those methods to reduce the treatment's negative effects. Conclusion circle The participants' health literacy levels were high, and they had moderately positive attitudes toward CAM. No significant relationship existed between health-literacy levels and attitudes toward CAM (P =.219). However, strengthening health literacy can be a preventive practice for the correct and reliable use of CAM.