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Practitioners’ sources of clinical information on complementary and alternative medicine in oncology

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Abstract

Goals of work

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) amongst oncology patients is widespread. There is little data regarding the sources of clinical information on CAM that oncology practitioners utilise. The aim of this study was to investigate the sources of clinical information on CAM utilised by Australian oncology practitioners.

Methods

A structured self-administered questionnaire was sent to Australian oncology practitioners, defined as oncologists, oncology pharmacists and pharmacists at drug information centres (DICs). Key information was sought on their level of satisfaction with the accessibility, reliability and usefulness of this information and the frequency of, and initiating factors for, seeking this information.

Main results

A substantial proportion of oncologists (57.1%) reported having never sought information on CAM, compared to 27.3% of oncology pharmacists, and 18.8% of DIC pharmacists. Oncologists most commonly reported seeking information on CAM one to three times per year compared to four to ten times per year for oncology pharmacists. Databases were the most common information source used by oncologists (48.1%) and oncology pharmacists (91.7%) and the second most common information source used by DICs (92.3%). There was wide variation in the source of clinical information on CAM used by the three different professional groups.

Conclusion

Oncology practitioners often seek information on CAM; however the frequency, nature and sources of information utilised varied widely. The usefulness and reliability of the sources utilised were inconsistent.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support and assistance of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia and the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia, as well as all oncology practitioners who participated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacy Department, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, St. Andrew’s Place, 3002, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Michael Joseph Dooley

  2. Department of Pharmacy Practice, Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, 3052, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Michael Joseph Dooley, Diana Yu-Lin Lee & Jennifer Lillian Marriott

  3. Locked Bag 1, A’Beckett Street, 8006, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Michael Joseph Dooley

Authors
  1. Michael Joseph Dooley
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  2. Diana Yu-Lin Lee
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  3. Jennifer Lillian Marriott
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Correspondence to Michael Joseph Dooley.

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Dooley, M.J., Lee, D.YL. & Marriott, J.L. Practitioners’ sources of clinical information on complementary and alternative medicine in oncology. Support Care Cancer 12, 114–119 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-003-0570-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-003-0570-5

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