Abstract
BackgroundThe use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is increasing. Although CAM often improves patients’ well-being, it can also lead to side-effects and interactions with conventional medications. Research on patients with IBD in Sweden who have experiences of CAM is sparse. More studies are needed to enhance awareness of and improve communication about CAM. The aim of this study was to describe experiences of CAM in the healthcare context reported by patients with IBD.MethodsFifteen patients with IBD, eight with Crohn’s disease (CD) and seven with ulcerative colitis (UC), were recruited. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted and qualitative content analysis was performed.ResultsThe analysis revealed the theme Knowledge and communication lead to participation in the area of CAM based on three categories; CAM use, Communication and Self-care. Patients with IBD wanted to be asked about CAM to be able to start a dialogue, as some perceived being treated in a disparaging manner and not taken seriously when raising the subject. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) need to be aware of this in order to meet and understand patient needs. Patients with IBD found it easier to communicate about CAM with the IBD nurses than physicians and dietary changes was one important CAM treatment.ConclusionsThe finding that it was easier to discuss CAM with nurses than physicians emphasizes the important role of the IBD nurse in communication and monitoring patients’ CAM use. Patients wanted to be asked about CAM to be able to start a dialogue, as some perceived not taken seriously when raising the subject. Furthermore, HCPs need to understand that many patients with IBD regard dietary changes as an important part of CAM treatment. Further research in these areas is needed.
Highlights
The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is increasing
The analysis revealed the theme Knowledge and communication lead to participation in the area of CAM based on three categories; CAM use, Communication and Self-care as well as fourteen sub-categories
Some of the respondents considered that an important part of CAM was changed dietary habits, such as excluding gluten, lactose, dairy products, sugar, flour, E-numbers, raw meat and reducing calorie intake
Summary
The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is increasing. Research on patients with IBD in Sweden who have experiences of CAM is sparse. The aim of this study was to describe experiences of CAM in the healthcare context reported by patients with IBD. CAM can be categorized into five domains: whole medical systems, mind-body interventions, biologicallybased therapies, manipulative and body-based methods while alternative medicine implies the use of CAM instead of conventional medicine. Integrative medicine combines both conventional and evidence based CAM treatment [2]. CAM use in Stockholm has increased from 22% in 1980 to 49% in 2002 [5]. Interest in CAM is growing among patients with chronic diseases [8,9] including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) [10,11,12]
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