Differences in Self-purchased Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Patient-reported Satisfaction between Female-specific and Non–female-specific Cancer Patients

Q: How was CAM use compared between female-specific and non–female-specific cancer patients?

CAM utilization patterns were compared in a cross-sectional survey, including reasons for use, initiation timing, duration, cost, self-purchase behavior, satisfaction, and adverse effects.

Q: Did CAM prevalence differ between the two cancer groups?

No. CAM use prevalence was similar between female-specific cancers (64.5%) and non–female-specific cancers (55.8%), with no statistically significant difference.

Q: What factors were associated with CAM use among patients with female-specific cancers?

Higher patient-reported satisfaction was independently associated with CAM use in multivariable analysis (OR 5.96, P=0.012).

Q: What were the key differences in self-purchase and satisfaction between groups?

Patients with female-specific cancers were more likely to self-purchase CAM (85.5% vs. 62.5%, P=0.016) and more likely to report high satisfaction (79.7% vs. 41.7%, P<0.001).

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah

Exploratory subgroup analysis of Korean women with solid tumors assessed how demographic and clinical factors relate to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and compared CAM utilization patterns and patient-reported satisfaction between female-specific and non–female-specific cancers. Among 150 female patients, 93 (62.0%) reported CAM use. CAM prevalence was similar across groups, but self-purchase was higher in female-specific cancers (85.5% vs. 62.5%, P=0.016), and high satisfaction was more frequent (79.7% vs. 41.7%, P<0.001). In multivariable analysis restricted to female-specific cancers, high satisfaction independently predicted CAM use (OR 5.96, 95% CI 1.48-23.93, P=0.012), emphasizing psychosocial relevance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

CAM use context in cancer care

Research gap for female-specific vs non–female-specific cancers

Results (summary from abstract)

CAM use prevalence and group comparison

Self-purchase behavior differences

Patient-reported satisfaction differences

Multivariable analysis (summary from abstract)

Association between satisfaction and CAM use in female-specific cancers

Original Article [http://www.jcpjournal.org](http://www.jcpjournal.org) pISSN 2288-3649 · eISSN 2288-3657 [https://doi.org/10.15430/JCP.26.012](https://doi.org/10.15430/JCP.26.012) Differences in Self-purchased Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Patient-reported Satisfaction between Female-specific and Non–female-specific Cancer Patients Aelee Jang Department of Nursing, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, Korea This study aimed to investigate demographic and clinical factors associated with use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and to compare CAM utilization patterns, including self-purchase behaviors and patient-reported satisfaction, between Korean women with female-specific and non–female-specific cancers. This exploratory subgroup analysis was conducted among female participants in a cross-sectional survey of Korean adults with solid tumors. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics were compared between CAM users and non-users. CAM use patterns—including reasons for use, initiation timing, duration, cost, self-purchase behavior, patient-reported satisfaction, and adverse effects—were compared between female-specific and non– female-specific cancers. Of the 150 female patients with solid tumors, 93 (62 .0%) reported their use of CAM. The prevalence of CAM use was similar between patients with female-specific cancers (64 .5%, 69/107) and those with non–female-specific cancers (55 .8%, 24/43), with no statistically significant difference observed. However, patients with female-specific cancers were significantly more likely to self-purchase CAM than those with non–female-specific cancers (85 .5% vs. 62.5%, P = 0 .016) . In addition, a higher proportion of patients with female-specific cancers reported high satisfaction with CAM use compared with patients with non– female-specific cancers (79 .7% vs. 41.7%, P < 0 .001) . In multivariable analysis restricted to patients with female-specific cancers, high patient-reported satisfaction was independently associated with CAM use (OR, 5.96; 95% CI, 1.48-23.93; P = 0 .012) . Among patients with female-specific cancers, high patient-reported satisfaction was independently associated with CAM use, highlighting the psychosocial relevance of patient-initiated CAM behaviors beyond overall use prevalence. Key Words Complementary and alternative medicine, Female, Solid cancer, Self-purchase, Patient-reported satisfaction INTRODUCTION Cancer has become an increasingly significant public health burden in South Korea over the past two decades. According to the latest Korea Central Cancer Registry data, the crude cancer incidence rate increased from approximately 243.0 per 100,000 population in 1999 to 550.2 per 100,000 in 2022, representing more than a twofold increase during this period [1] . Compared with other developed countries, the overall cancer incidence in South Korea remains relatively higher among women than men. Among Korean women, breast, thyroid, colorectal, stomach, lung, liver, pancreatic, gallbladder, biliary tract, uterine body, and cervical cancers are the most common malignancies [1,2] . According to the Korea Cancer Statistics 2022, breast cancer continues to rank first in incidence among women, and its age-standardized incidence rate has steadily increased since 1999 [1] . Patients with female-specific cancers often experience a wide range of persistent physical and psychological symptoms throughout the course of the disease. In addition to treatment-related physical sequelae such as pain, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive impairment, and sexual dysfunction, many patients report significant psychosocial distress, including fatigue, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and diminished self-esteem [3-11] . Conventional cancer treatments, while effective for disease control, are frequently insufficient to address these multidimensional symptom burdens, particularly those related to emotional well-being and quality of life. Rece

FAQs

How was CAM use compared between female-specific and non–female-specific cancer patients?

CAM utilization patterns were compared in a cross-sectional survey, including reasons for use, initiation timing, duration, cost, self-purchase behavior, satisfaction, and adverse effects.

Did CAM prevalence differ between the two cancer groups?

No. CAM use prevalence was similar between female-specific cancers (64.5%) and non–female-specific cancers (55.8%), with no statistically significant difference.

What factors were associated with CAM use among patients with female-specific cancers?

Higher patient-reported satisfaction was independently associated with CAM use in multivariable analysis (OR 5.96, P=0.012).

What were the key differences in self-purchase and satisfaction between groups?

Patients with female-specific cancers were more likely to self-purchase CAM (85.5% vs. 62.5%, P=0.016) and more likely to report high satisfaction (79.7% vs. 41.7%, P<0.001).

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah