Characteristcs associated with complementary and alternative medicine use among racially and ethnically diverse long-term cancer survivors.

Abstract

e20532 Background: To identify the prevalence and predisposing, enabling and need for care characteristics of long-term adult cancer survivors who use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities. Methods: We analyzed data from the Follow-up Care Use among Survivors (FOCUS) Survey, a cross-sectional population-based investigation of the follow-up care experiences among racially and ethnically diverse long-term (i.e., five years or more post-diagnosis) cancer survivors recruited from California NCI SEER registries. Ever and last year use of CAM modalities, as well as reasons for use, were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to identify if predisposing, enabling and need for care characteristics described in the CAM Healthcare Model were associated with CAM use in the past year. Results: Long-term cancer survivors in the study (N=1,666) were predominately female (62%) and older (mean age=69.5), with breast (24%), prostate 26(%), colorectal (25%), ovarian (13%) and endometrial cancers (12%). Forty-two percent of survivors used CAM in the past year to relieve stress (28%), treat or prevent cancer from coming back (22%), relieve cancer-related symptoms (18%) and help deal with another medical condition (18%). Certain predisposing (i.e., female gender, higher optimism) and need for care factors (i.e., experienced cancer-related symptoms in the past two years, ever had depression/anxiety) were significantly associated with CAM use (p-values<0.05). Insurance coverage, financial resources, and receipt of cancer-related follow-up care were not associated with CAM use. Conclusions: Cancer survivors report a high prevalence of CAM use even years after their initial diagnosis. It is important for healthcare providers to be aware of the higher prevalence of CAM use among subgroups of cancer survivors (i.e., female, high in optimism, have experienced cancer-related symptoms, have a history of anxiety/depression) in order to communicate effectively about these modalities with their patients.