Background: Diabetes is chronic health problem which couldnt be cured. Use of
medical therapy in a long term need huge budget and increase risk of adverse
effect. Complementary/ alternative medicine CAM) is a choice for patient in
diabetes care management beside conventional medical therapy. Some of CAM
were’nt have enough evidence based support respect to its benefit and adverse
effect.
Objective: Aim of the study was to explore pattern of use of CAM by diabetic
patient.
Methods: The study used qualitative descriptive phenomenology method and data
collected by in-depth interview. Participants were 4 diabetic patient and 2 of
diabetic patient family member who used CAM.
Result: Diabetes patients perceive complementary therapy as an effort to manage
disease, complement to other diabetes care regiments, and substitutes or
complements of medical drugs therapy. Reasons of use of complementary therapy
were low cost, practical, and effective therapeutic impact. CAMs used by diabetes
patient were herbs, animal, supplement diet, pray, and massage. Sources of
information of CAM were families, friends, and traditional healer. Herbs
ingredients were boiled, applied with hot water, made like a coffee, or cooked like
salads/ vedgetables. Impact of complementary therapy used faced by diabetic
patient were both beneficial and detrimental.
Discussion: Study findings congruent with other studies. Diabetes patient manage
CAM administration by themself and no consultation with health professionals
that may harmfull for them eventhough they only experience minor side effect. Its
need further study to find conclusive CAM effectivity and safety.
Conclutions: The study findings consist of diabetes patient perception about
CAM, reasons of CAM uses, how to uses CAM, and impact felt after CAM uses.
Use of complementary therapy need to be consulted with health professionals to
help diabetic patient consider its adverse effects and beneficials.
Keywords : Diabetes, Complementary/ Alternative Medicine (CAM
