THE USE OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES IN CHILDHOOD CANCER: A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED ON A DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY FROM THE WESTERN BLACK SEA REGION OF TURKEY

The objective of this sBackground: The objective of this study was to determine what complementary and alternative therapies are used in cases of childhood cancer, the frequency of their use and the factors that affect the tendency to resort to these therapies. Materials and Methods: The study, of cross-sectional design, was conducted with the parents of 101 children diagnosed with cancer, using a questionnaire and the technique of face-to-face interviews. Mean scores, percentages, chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used in the statistical analysis. During the study, interviews were held with 42.6% of the children's mothers and with the fathers of 44.6%. Results: The mean age of the children was 8.66±4.52 years. A group of 33.7% of the parents was making use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for their children. Of the parents, 76.5% stated that CAM had been instrumental in reducing a tumor, 53.8% said that their child's general condition had improved and 15.4% expressed an increase in morale. Another 41.2% concealed their use of CAM from their doctors and nurses. The parents that were interviewed: the age of the mother, the age of the father and the family's economic status were determining factors in the parents' use of CAM. The prevalence of the use of CAM among parents with children with cancer is not negligible. Conclusion: It is the researchers' belief that health professionals must be informed about the use of CAM and its methods and that the patients should be evaluated with an impartial approach and given information about the use of CAM, together with conventional treatment.tudy was to determine what complementary and alternative therapies are used in cases of childhood cancer, the frequency of their use and the factors that affect the tendency to resort to these therapies. The study, of cross-sectional design, was conducted with the parents of 101 children diagnosed with cancer, using a questionnaire and the technique of face-to-face interviews. Mean scores, percentages, chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used in the statistical analysis. During the study, interviews were held with 42.6% of the children's mothers and with the fathers of 44.6%. The mean age of the children was 8.66±4.52 years. A group of 33.7% of the parents were making use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for their children. Of the parents, 76.5% stated that CAM had been instrumental in reducing a tumor, 53.8% said that their child's general condition had improved and 15.4% expressed an increase in morale. Another 41.2% concealed their use of CAM from their doctors and nurses. The parent that was interviewed, the age of the mother, the age of the father and the family's economic status were determining factors in the parents' use of CAM. The prevalence of the use of CAM among parents with children with cancer is not negligible. It is the researchers' belief that health professionals must be informed about the use of CAM and its methods and that patients should be evaluated with an impartial approach and given information about the use of CAM, together with conventional treatment

The Effect of the Life Profiles of Bulgarian Immigrants in Turkey on Their Satisfaction Level

WOS: 000367317600002The aim of the present study is the examination of the life profiles and satisfaction states of 300 immigrants who have immigrated to Turkey from Bulgaria, who live in various neighborhoods of Turkey, who are registered at the Balkan Turks and Solidarity Association and who have accepted to participate in the study. The data were collected through using the "information form" consisting of 42 questions, which was prepared by the researchers who scanned the literature for this purpose. It was understood that 53.4% of those participants who are satisfied with living in Turkey were self-employed, while 32.1% of those who are not satisfied with living in Turkey were self-employed (p<0,001). It was determined that, of those satisfied with living in Turkey, 56.3% have a job appropriate to their profession and qualification (those answering the question "yes"), and of those dissatisfied with living in Turkey, 73.5% percent do not have jobs appropriate to their profession and qualification (those answering the question "no") (p<0,001). It was determined that, of those stating, "my economic state would not be better if I were living in Bulgaria", 94.3% was satisfied with living in Turkey (p<0,001). It was determined that, of the immigrants satisfied with living in Turkey, 81.8% was not living in a rented house (p<0,05); 46.6% was benefitting from health services in an adequate manner; while of those not satisfied with living in Turkey, 35.8% was not able to benefit from health services to an adequate degree (p<0,001). In conclusion, it was identified that socio-economic variables were important in the determination of the satisfaction levels of the people who migrated to Turkey from Bulgaria, and that those who managed to find jobs suitable to their profession and qualifications were satisfied 3.58 times more compared to the others