WONCA Special Interest Group on Integrative Medicine
Research Corner
Analysis of “Women’s Lived Experiences in the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Breast Cancer Management: A Phenomenological Study”
by Dr Mehzen Ko
Lived experiences of women with breast cancer in Indonesia on the usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
In this issue of the newsletter, we will look at a paper by Christina et al. from Flinders University, Australia (1). This research explores the perspectives of women with breast cancer in Indonesia who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In Indonesia, CAM is largely the domain of traditional healers and shamans.
The methodology used was Van Manen’s phenomenology of practice, which is suitable for describing the complexity of lived experiences and uncovering psychological, societal, and cultural drivers of the topic of interest (2). For those interested in qualitative research, Van Manen’s original text (3), a worked example in health science research (4), and an article comparing two different phenomenological approaches (5) might be useful.
The thematic analysis findings reflect the context of some developing countries, where patients choose CAM due to geographical disparities in healthcare access, religious and spiritual beliefs, low health literacy, and poverty. Poverty and poor access to oncological treatment led women to turn to alternative treatment. However, in some cases, this resulted in delays and interference with oncological treatment, leading to worse outcomes. Fear, distrust, and misinformation about oncological treatments were also prevalent, even though approximately half of the study participants had attained higher education.
Some participants expressed a strong preference for naturalistic and faith-based healing. They believed it was beneficial for managing side effects of the disease and oncological treatment, improving their spiritual well-being, and aligning with the beliefs of their husbands and family members.
The authors provided a nuanced view of CAM, emphasizing that policymakers need to expand access to and financing for oncology treatment and regulate the CAM industry. Efforts should also focus on engaging with patients, their families, and spiritual leaders to improve health literacy. Further research into the advantages and disadvantages of CAM is necessary to help women set realistic expectations, make informed decisions, and avoid detrimental delays in care.
Better awareness and knowledge of CAM treatments are also needed among cancer specialist nurses to provide holistic care for breast cancer patients. By adopting these strategies, CAM can be better integrated into healthcare systems without compromising cancer outcomes.
In conclusion, this study highlights the complex interplay of socioeconomic and cultural factors influencing CAM use among Indonesian breast cancer patients. Effective regulation of CAM, improved access to high-quality cancer care, and better integration of CAM with conventional treatments are crucial to ensuring patient safety and improving cancer care outcomes.
References
- Christina J, Abigail W, De Bellis A, Harrington A. Women’s Lived Experiences in the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Breast Cancer Management: A Phenomenological Study. J Holist Nurs. 2024 Sep 12;08980101241277680.
- Alhazmi AA, Kaufmann A. Phenomenological Qualitative Methods Applied to the Analysis of Cross-Cultural Experience in Novel Educational Social Contexts. Front Psychol. 2022 Apr 25;13:785134.
- Manen MV. Phenomenology of Practice: Meaning-Giving Methods in Phenomenological Research and Writing. Routledge; 2016. 446 p.
- Suddick KM, Cross V, Vuoskoski P, Galvin KT, Stew G. The Work of Hermeneutic Phenomenology. Int J Qual Methods. 2020 Jan 1;19:1609406920947600.
- Laverty SM. Hermeneutic Phenomenology and Phenomenology: A Comparison of Historical and Methodological Considerations. Int J Qual Methods. 2003 Sep 1;2(3):21–35.