Table 2. Oncologists’ communication patterns with patients regarding CAM (n = 6,007).
| Pattern | Mean ± SD, Median (%) | No. (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Please estimate the percentage of your patients that have discussed with you the topic of CAM? | 36.5 ± 26.8, 30 | |
| Do you want to initiate the discussions with your patients about CAM? | ||
| Yes | 4,036 (67.2) | |
| No | 1,971 (32.8) | |
| What is the reason for not initiating the discussions with your patients about CAM? (n = 1,971)* | ||
| Know little about CAM | 1,490 (75.6) | |
| imited-time consultation | 188 (9.5) | |
| Do not believe in CAM | 113 (5.7) | |
| No interest in use of CAM | 103 (5.2) | |
| Other | 77 (3.9) | |
| How do you respond if asked about CAM by your patients? | ||
| Neither encourage nor discourage | 3,354 (55.8) | |
| Encourage to continue | 2,287 (38.1) | |
| Advise to stop | 174 (2.9) | |
| Other | 192 (3.2) | |
| How do you react to your patients who disclose that they are using or will use CAM? | ||
| Neither encourage nor discourage | 3,773 (62.8) | |
| Encourage to continue | 2,158 (35.9) | |
| Advise to stop | 76 (1.3) |
CAM: complementary and alternative medicine; SD: standard deviation.
*Sample included oncologists who do not want to initiate the discussions with patients about CAM (n = 1,971).