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Anthroposophic medicine in paediatric oncology in Germany: Results of a population‐based retrospective parental survey
Author(s) -
Läengler Alfred,
Spix Claudia,
Edelhäuser Friedrich,
Martin David D.,
Kameda Genn,
Kaatsch Peter,
Seifert Georg
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.22523
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , alternative medicine , pediatric oncology , retrospective cohort study , cancer treatment , disease , pediatrics , integrative medicine , cancer , population , pathology , environmental health
Background Anthroposophic medicine (AM) is frequently utilised in German‐speaking countries as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment approach. Procedure This study presents results of a retrospective parental questionnaire comparing responses of AM‐users and users of other CAM in paediatric oncology in Germany. The differences between these two groups are investigated with respect to usage, associated demographic characteristics and previous experience with CAM. Results Ninety‐eight patients (27%) of the 367 CAM‐users were exposed to anthroposophic treatments or therapies. Treatment duration amounted to a median 619 days for AM and 225 days for other CAM treatments. Most parents with previous experience of AM also used AM for treatment of their child's cancer disease. AM‐users had a higher social status. Physicians played a relevant role for users of AM both in procuring information (24% vs. 11%; P < 0.001) and in prescribing medicines and therapies (73.0% vs. 34.9%; P < 0.001) compared to users of other CAM. AM‐users communicate more frequently with their physicians about the use of CAM treatments (89.8% vs. 63.9%) and recommend CAM more often than other CAM‐users (95.9% vs. 87%). Conclusions AM plays a major role in paediatric oncology in Germany. Patients using AM sustain treatment and therapies considerably longer than patients using other CAM treatments. Furthermore, most families who had used AM before their child was diagnosed with cancer also used AM for the treatment of their child's cancer. Compared to other CAM treatments, patient satisfaction with AM appears to be very high. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:1111–1117. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.