ABSTRACT
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is prevalent among women treated for breast cancer but poorly understood in some ethnic groups. This exploratory descriptive study characterized CAM use for treatment and general health among African and European American women with breast cancer. African American women reported higher CAM use and marked emphasis on faith among other differences from European American women. Implications for practice are discussed.
Subject(s)
Black or African American , Breast Neoplasms/nursing , Breast Neoplasms/therapy , Christianity , Complementary Therapies/methods , Parish Nursing/methods , Adult , Breast Neoplasms/ethnology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hospital inpatient palliative care consultation services (PCCSs) provide high-quality, comprehensive care for seriously ill patients and their families. The objective of the Palliative Care Impact Study was to evaluate the impact of a PCCS in a rural Appalachian community hospital in 4 domains: clinical, customer, operational, and financial. METHODS AND RESULTS: A nonrandomized preintervention-postintervention study enrolled 25 patients. We collected data in the 4 domains listed above after a palliative care (PC) consultation and compared them with preconsultation data. Findings demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in pain and symptom burden scores; customer metrics produced an excellent rating of 88.5% by patients and families and physician/providers; with an associated cost savings of $521 per patient per day after PC consultation was complete.