Abstract

Indonesian Medical Professionals' Perceptions On and Interactions with Traditional and Alternative Therapies for Blood Cancer

Author(s): Lata Argraval*

Traditional and complementary medicine is frequently used to treat children cancer. In order to successfully treat children cancer and prevent patients from discontinuing traditional cancer treatment, effective communication about T&CM is essential. This study investigated how healthcare professionals perceived and communicated T&CM in the treatment of paediatric cancer. Methods a cross-sectional study utilising semi-structured questionnaires at an academic hospital in Indonesia 175 HCP participated in total. Just 2% of HCP say they have a favourable opinion of T&CM. Most HCP believe that T&CM is used by their cancer patients. Giving vulnerable patients false optimism, a lack of proof that T&CM works and their own poor T&CM understandings are the main concerns with HCP’s T&CM. Much more doctors than other HCP are worried about their lack of T&CM expertise. The majority of HCP believe that parents should receive advice from hospital experts regarding the potential positive and negative effects of T&CM. HCP believe it’s crucial for parents to let them know if their cancer-stricken child utilises T&CM. Yet, only 5% of HCP consistently enquire about parents’ use of T&CM. The majority of HCP believe that parents are hesitant to tell doctors they use T&CM, thus they choose not to tell them out of concern that they will receive less care (55%). According to 31% of HCP, parents do in fact receive less care from doctors if they express an interest in T&CM. HCP should brush up on their understanding of T&CM. Physicians ought to be honest with parents about T&CM without punishing them following T&CM revelation.