USE OF NON-PROVEN THERAPIES - DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES BETWEEN NORWEGIAN PATIENTS WITH NONMALIGNANT DISEASE AND PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM CANCER

A comparative study was conducted between a group of patients with non -malignant diseases in general practice and a group of cancer patients seen in the Department of Oncology at the University Hospital of Trom so. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalent use of 'alte rnative medicine', here called non-proven therapies (NPTs), among canc er patients and general practice patients, and to investigate whether there are any differences in opinion between the two groups regarding the beneficial effects of NPTs as treatment modalities for cancer, A t otal of 305 general practice patients and 252 cancer patients were inc luded in the final analysis, In both groups close on 20% had been or w ere present users of NPTs, Among cancer patients the most preferred NP Ts methods were healing by laying on of hands and faith healing, The p atients with non-malignant disease expressed a more positive view on t he possible benefits of NPTs in the fight against cancer than that exp ressed by the cancer patients, A total of 63.4% of patients from gener al practice stated that NPTs ought to be an option for cancer patients within Norwegian hospitals.