The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40446

Kwadwo Bosompra, PhD, Consultant, 7671 Doverwood Drive, Mississauga, ON L5N8J2, Canada, 905-824-4870, kbosompra@yahoo.com and Takamaru Ashikaga, PhD, Medical Biostatistics Department, University of Vermont, 27 Hills Building, Burlington, VT 05405.

This study examined the use of complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies by breast cancer patients and communication with their physicians about such use. Breast cancer patients (n=148) in the rural state of Vermont were interviewed two to three years after their primary surgery using computer-aided telephone interviewing methods. Questionnaire items included demographic, treatment, CAM use, lymphedema symptoms, and other measures. A large proportion of respondents (72.3%) reported using at least one CAM treatment post-surgery. The most frequently used treatment was vitamins and nonfood supplements (72.3%) with herbal treatments, meditation, and traditional massage each being reported by about one-fifth of the women. Age, education, adjuvant chemotherapy and extremity swelling were associated with use of more CAM treatments in a regression model. Most CAM users (73.8%) reported their CAM use to their physicians. In a logistic regression model, income, adjuvant radiation therapy and adjuvant tamoxifen use were related to informing their physician about their CAM use. CAM use is high among breast cancer patients in Vermont and the number of CAM therapies used is related to demographic factors, adjuvant treatment and lymphedema symptoms. Communication of CAM use with physicians among this group of survivors appears to be multifaceted.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Describe the prevalence and patterns of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among breast cancer patients in a rural state two to three years after surgery.
• Articulate the procedure for identifying predictors of a behavior of interest.
• Identify the predictors of CAM therapy use among this group of breast cancer survivors.
• Identify the factors associated with communicating with personal physicians about CAM use for this sample of women.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Breast Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.