Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

High prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use in the Dutch pediatric oncology population: a multicenter survey

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used in the pediatric population, research on the use of these therapies in the pediatric oncology population is of mixed quality. In this multicenter survey, we investigated the prevalence of CAM use, possible determinants of use, and parental attitude towards communication and research on CAM therapies. The prevalence of CAM use in the past 12 months was assessed by using a questionnaire based on the European guidelines on CAM research, filled out by parents of children visiting pediatric oncology outpatient clinics of six academic hospitals in the Netherlands. The questionnaire consisted of 26 questions on the child’s clinical status, CAM use, and attitude towards communication and research on CAM therapies. One hundred and twenty-two of 288 respondents (42.4 %) reported CAM use. The most frequently used categories were homeopathy (18.8 %) and dietary supplements (11.5 %). Female gender and parental CAM use were significant predictors for the use of CAM (p < 0.001). Only one third of the parents had discussed CAM use with their pediatric oncologist. More than 80 % of the respondents identified a need for information about CAM from their pediatrician and 85.7 % was positive towards research on CAM. Half of the parents were interested in participating in future CAM trials. Conclusion, with more than 40 % of parents of Dutch pediatric oncology patients providing complementary and alternative medicine to their child and with lacking evidence on efficacy and safety of most CAM modalities, there is a clear need for high-quality research in this field. This study shows that most parents have an open attitude towards CAM research and that almost half of the parents would consider participating in future CAM trials, paving the way for research on CAM and aiming for its evidence-based use in pediatric oncology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bishop FL, Prescott P, Chan YK, Saville J, von Elm E, Lewith GT (2010) Prevalence of complementary medicine use in pediatric cancer: a systematic review. Pediatrics 125:768–776

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bold J, Leis A (2001) Unconventional therapy use among children with cancer in Saskatchewan. J Pediatr Oncol Nurs 18:16–25

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Chang KH, Brodie R, Choong MA, Sweeney KJ, Kerin MJ (2011) Complementary and alternative medicine use in oncology: a questionnaire survey of patients and health care professionals. BMC Cancer 11:196

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Cohen MH, Kemper KJ, Stevens L, Hashimoto D, Gilmour J (2005) Pediatric use of complementary therapies: ethical and policy choices. Pediatrics 116:e568–e575

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Corner J, Yardley J, Maher EJ, Roffe L, Young T, Maslin-Prothero S, Gwilliam C, Haviland J, Lewith G (2009) Patterns of complementary and alternative medicine use among patients undergoing cancer treatment. Eur J Cancer Care 18:271–279

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cuzzolin L, Zaffani S, Murgia V, Gangemi M, Meneghelli G, Chiamenti G, Benoni G (2003) Patterns and perceptions of complementary/alternative medicine among paediatricians and patients’ mothers: a review of the literature. Eur J Pediatr 162:820–827

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fernandez CV, Stutzer CA, MacWilliam L, Fryer C (1998) Alternative and complementary therapy use in pediatric oncology patients in British Columbia: prevalence and reasons for use and nonuse. J Clin Oncol 16:1279–1286

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Field T, Cullen C, Diego M (2001) Leukemia immune changes following massage therapy. Bodyw Mov Ther 5:271–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Friedman T, Slayton WB, Allen LS, Pollock BH, Dumont-Driscoll M, Mehta P, Graham-Pole J (1997) Use of alternative therapies for children with cancer. Pediatrics 100:e1

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Gilmour J, Harrison C, Cohen MH, Vohra S (2011) Pediatric use of complementary and alternative medicine: legal, ethical, and clinical issues in decision-making. Pediatrics 128:S149–S154

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Gomez-Martinez R, Tlacuilo-Parra A, Garibaldi-Covarrubias R (2007) Use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with cancer in Occidental, Mexico. Pediatr Blood Cancer 49:820–823

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gözüm S, Arikan D, Büyükavci M (2007) Complementary and alternative medicine use in pediatric oncology patients in eastern Turkey. Cancer Nurs 30:38–44

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Grootenhuis MA, Last BF, de Graaf-Nijkerk JH, van der Wel M (1998) Use of alternative treatment in pediatric oncology. Cancer Nurs 21:282–288

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Haidar C, Jeha S (2011) Drug interactions in childhood cancer. Lancet Oncol 12:92–99

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hamidah A, Rustam ZA, Tamil AM, Zarina LA, Zulkifli ZS, Jamal R (2009) Prevalence and parental perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine use by children with cancer in a multi-ethnic Southeast Asian population. Pediatr Blood Cancer 52:70–74

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hardy ML (2008) Dietary supplement use in cancer care: help or harm. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 22:581–617

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Jacknow DS, Tschann JM, Link MP, Boyce WT (1994) Hypnosis in the prevention of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in children: a prospective study. J Dev Behav Pediatr 15:258–264

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Kemper KJ, Vohra S, Walls R (2008) American Academy of Pediatrics. The use of complementary and alternative medicine in pediatrics. Pediatrics 122:1374–1386

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Laengler A, Spix C, Seifert G, Gottschling S, Graf N, Kaatsch P (2008) Complementary and alternative treatment methods in children with cancer: a population-based retrospective survey on the prevalence of use in Germany. Eur J Cancer 44:2233–2240

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Liossi C, White P, Hatira P (2009) A randomized clinical trial of a brief hypnosis intervention to control venepuncture-related pain of paediatric cancer patients. Pain 142:255–263

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Madsen H, Andersen S, Nielsen R, Dolmer BS, Høst A, Damkier A (2003) Use of complementary/alternative medicine among paediatric patients. Eur J Pediatr 162:334–341

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Martel D, Bussières JF, Théorêt Y, Lebel D, Kish S, Moghrabi A, Laurier C (2005) Use of alternative and complementary therapies in children with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer 44:660–668

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Mitchel RE, McCann R (1993) Vitamin E is a complete tumor promoter in mouse skin. Carcinogenesis 14:659–662

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Molassiotis A, Cubbin D (2004) “Thinking outside the box”: complementary and alternative therapies use in paediatric oncology patients. J Pediatr Oncol Nurs 8:50–60

    Google Scholar 

  25. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: What are the major types of complementary and alternative medicine? Retrieved from: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam. Accessed January 19, 2012

  26. Olness K (1981) Imagery (self-hypnosis) as adjunct therapy in childhood cancer: clinical experience with 25 patients. Am J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 3:313–321

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Ottolini MC, Hamburger EK, Loprieato JO, Coleman RH, Sachs HC, Madden R, Brasseux C (2001) Complementary and alternative medicine use among children in the Washington, DC area. Ambul Pediatr 1:122–125

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Paisley MA, Kang TI, Insogna IG, Rheingold SR (2011) Complementary and alternative therapy use in pediatric oncology patients with failure of frontline chemotherapy. Pediatr Blood Cancer 56:1088–1091

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Post-White J, Fitzgerald M, Hageness S, Sencer SF (2009) Complementary and alternative medicine use in children with cancer and general and specialty pediatrics. J Pediatr Oncol Nurs 26:7–15

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Quandt SA, Verhoef MJ, Arcury TA, Lewith GT, Steinsbekk A, Kristoffersen AE, Wahner-Roedler DL, Fønnebø V (2009) Development of an international questionnaire to measure use of complementary and alternative medicine (I-CAM-Q). J Altern Complement Med 15:331–339

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Roth M, Lin J, Kim M, Moody K (2009) Pediatric oncologists’ views toward the use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with cancer. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 31:177–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Seely D, Stempak D, Baruchel S (2007) A strategy for controlling potential interactions between natural health products and chemotherapy: a review in pediatric oncology. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 29:32–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Sencer SF, Kelly KM (2006) Bringing evidence to complementary and alternative medicine for children with cancer. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 28:186–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Styczynski J, Wysocki M (2006) Alternative medicine remedies might stimulate viability of leukemic cells. Pediatr Blood Cancer 46:94–98

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Tindle HA, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Eisenberg DM (2005) Trends in use of complementary and alternative medicine by US adults: 1997–2002. Altern Ther Health Med 11:42–49

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Vlieger AM, Blink M, Tromp E, Benninga MA (2008) Use of complementary and alternative medicine by pediatric patients with functional and organic gastrointestinal diseases: results from a multicenter survey. Pediatrics 122:446–451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Vlieger AM, van de Putte EM, Hoeksma H (2006) The use of complementary and alternative medicine in children at a general paediatric clinic and parental reasons for use. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 150:625–630

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Vlieger AM, van Vliet M, Jong MC (2011) Attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine: a national survey among paediatricians in the Netherlands. Eur J Pediatr 170:619–624

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Weyl Ben Arush M, Geva H, Ofir R, Mashiach T, Uziel R, Dashkovsky Z (2006) Prevalence and characteristics of complementary medicine used by pediatric cancer patients in a mixed western and middle-eastern population. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 28:141–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Yeh CH, Tsai JL, Li W, Chen HM, Lee SC, Lin CF, Yang CP (2000) Use of alternative therapy among pediatric oncology patients in Taiwan. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 17:55–65

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Zeltzer L, LeBaron S, Zeltzer PM (1984) The effectiveness of behavioral intervention for reduction of nausea and vomiting in children and adolescents receiving chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol 2:683–690

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the pediatric (hemato-) oncologists of the Emma Children’s Hospital Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam; VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam; University Medical Centre, Groningen; University Medical Centre, Leiden; University Medical Centre, Nijmegen; and the University Medical Centre, Utrecht for their cooperation in this study.

Conflicts of interest

None of the authors has conflicts to declare.

Funding

None

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, St Antonius Hospital, PO Box 2500, 3430 EM, Nieuwegein, Netherlands

    Maartje Singendonk & Arine Vlieger

  2. Department of Pediatric Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Gert-Jan Kaspers

  3. Dutch Childhood Cancer Parent Organization VOKK, Nieuwegein, Netherlands

    Marianne Naafs-Wilstra

  4. Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Children’s Hospital, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Antoinette Schouten-van Meeteren

  5. Department of Pediatric Oncology, University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands

    Jan Loeffen

Authors
  1. Maartje Singendonk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gert-Jan Kaspers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marianne Naafs-Wilstra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Antoinette Schouten-van Meeteren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jan Loeffen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Arine Vlieger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arine Vlieger.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Singendonk, M., Kaspers, GJ., Naafs-Wilstra, M. et al. High prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use in the Dutch pediatric oncology population: a multicenter survey. Eur J Pediatr 172, 31–37 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-012-1821-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-012-1821-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation