Application Status of Chinese Medicine on Cancer Rehabilitation: A Preliminary Questionnaire Survey
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application status of Chinese medicine (CM) in cancer rehabilitation, so as to provide references for improving the level of CM cancer rehabilitation. METHODS: A survey questionnaire regarding "application status of CM rehabilitation in cancer patients" for oncologists (doctor version) and cancer patients (patient version) were developed, respectively. From September 2014 to November 2016, a total of 1,000 doctors from oncology department in 48 hospitals and 2,000 cancer patients from CM oncology department from 8 hospitals in China were recruited in this survey. The psychological, nutrition and exercise rehabilitation guidance for cancer patients provided by doctors, their mastery conditions regarding cancer staging treatment and CM syndrome differentiation, and recommendation from doctors on CM rehabilitation were investigated. Cancer patients' awareness on the importance of psychological, nutrition and exercise rehabilitation, as well as their knowledge and needs for rehabilitation were also analyzed. The impact of gender, age, professional title, hospitals grades of physicians on their knowledge of cancer staging treatment and CM syndrome differentiation, and the relationship between gender, age, education level and economic conditions and patient's knowledge along with the needs of CM rehabilitation were further analyzed. RESULTS: Totally 1,000 questionnaires were issued to doctors and 963 questionnaires returned, among which 948 were valid representing a response rate of 94.80%. A total of 2,000 questionnaires were issued to patients and 1,705 valid data finally returned with a response rate of 85.25%. The survey showed that cancer patients generally paid much attention to psychological, nutritional and sports rehabilitation, and had a strong demand for CM rehabilitation. Knowledge of CM rehabilitation was not well provided by oncologists, and the rehabilitation guidance as well as CM rehabilitation measures were obviously insufficient in cancer patients. Educational and economic levels were positively correlated with cognition level of CM rehabilitation knowledge among cancer patients (Kendall-tau_b correlation coefficients=0.130, 0.057, respectively; P<0.05). Gender and education level were positively correlated with the patients' willingness for taking CM measures (Kendall-tau_b correlation coefficient=0.057, 0.105, respectively; P<0.05). Age was negatively correlated with intention of applying CM measures (kendall-taub correlation coefficient=-0.105, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Health education and professional training for both cancer patients and oncologists should be strengthened and CM rehabilitation knowledge among cancer patients and oncologists should be improved, so as to give full play to CM in cancer rehabilitation.
