Typological Study on Attitudes of Alternative Therapy Among Cancer Patients

Kim, Jin Kyung; Kim, Boon Han; Lee, Mi Hyang; Kang, Hwa Jeong

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify and classify the different types of cancer patients who use alternative therapies, to understand their subjective frameworks in using such alternative therapies. The results of this study provided the subjective information on five types of attitudes towards alternative therapies and described characteristics of five types from 30 cancer patients. The "Dependent to Others" (the first type) decided to use alternative therapy because they were influenced by the experiences of others and invocations of the family (especially spouse) or close relatives. In general, they did not believe that it will cure the diseases but generally thought it was not harmful and it may be better than doing nothing. There were a group of patients who chose to use alternative therapy with vague hope and belief. These patients decided to try alternative methods with their own convictions and confidences because they have personally seen or heard about some people who had been cured miraculously. This group of patients was grouped as "Belief in Effects (second type)." Although, there is a very little chance for miracles, "Expecting for Effects (third type)" believed alternative therapy will strengthen immune systems, help with feces and urine, change physical constitutions, slow down the progression of cancerous cell, have no side-effects, and expects to have practical effects and uses. The fourth group of patients thought foods in alternative therapies were same as general foods, therefore, it was easy to take, did not expect miracles to happen but considered the alternative therapy as supplementary treatments. This "Supplementary for Effects (fourth type)" patients thought it was their duty to do everything possible. The last type was "Expecting for Miraculous Effects (fifth type)." The patients in this group were devastated and thought of alternative treatments as the last hope for miracles. They thought it would relieve their physical pains, reduce the chance of side effects from chemical treatments, help them for comfortable and painless death, and considered it as the last possible option with expecting for miracles. The result of this study has implications to provide practical and concrete guidelines for caring and nursing cancer patients using alternative therapies. It will be used as a tool to work on independent for nursing intervention. Furthermore, the result of study will provide practical guidelines to help develop better tools and nursing intervention strategies to nurse cancer patients.