Socioeconomic Impact on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use in Cancer Patients

This study focuses on the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among cancer patients. CAM refers to treatments that fall outside of mainstream healthcare, like acupuncture or herbal supplements. The study aims to understand how socioeconomic factors and ethnicity might influence the use of CAM, participation in CAM programs, and overall quality of life. It targets two distinct socioeconomic groups, with the goal of identifying differences in CAM use and addressing potential disparities in cancer care. Participants in this observational study will complete a questionnaire that gathers information about their demographics, socioeconomic status, disease specifics, and factors that might encourage or discourage CAM use. Their participation in an introductory seminar about CAM and various CAM programs will be observed. Additionally, participants will complete a quality of life scale, which will provide insights into how different populations perceive and use CAM. This will also help identify potential obstacles to integrating CAM into other cancer treatment programs.