Are we meeting cancer patient needs? Complementary and alternative medicine use among Saudi cancer patients: A qualitative study of patients and healthcare professionals' views

Introduction: The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia is an emerging subject in the field of healthcare. This study aimed to examine the dynamics between perspectives of cancer patients and healthcare professionals in tertiary hospitals that do not provide CAM. Method: Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 38 cancer patients and 30 healthcare professionals. After familiarization with the data, results were analysed using interpretation, categorizing and thematic analysis. Results: The analysis suggests that CAM is highly popular among cancer patients. All the cancer patient respondents used at least one type of CAM as an adjunct to conventional medical treatments. These patients affirmed their understanding that CAM originates from a non-biomedical healthcare model. Patients desired CAM treatments and frequently questioned why CAM was not made available alongside conventional medicine. In contrast, the data showed that healthcare professionals were concerned about the implications of mixing CAM, in the form of cultural interventions provided by nonprofessional healers, with biomedicine. Doctors, in particular, were less willing to establish policies or to follow guidelines regarding the integration of CAM into cancer treatment and care. Conclusion: The impacts of cancer are not confined to physical realms. Cancer creates a medical crisis that affects a patient's mind, spirit and lifestyle. This research suggests that, in Saudi Arabia, cancer should be understood not only in biomedical terms but in light of cultural beliefs about disease aetiology and the contingent need for culturally-appropriate supportive CAM treatments. The application of conventional medicine alone does not appear to adequately address cancer patients' expressed needs. The authors concluded that healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia should be prepared to discuss with patients their perceived benefits of CAM as an integral element of their patient-centred care.