The use of herbal preparations as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a sample of patients with cancer in Jordan.

Purpose: This study sought to describe the type, frequency, purpose and pattern of herbal preparation use as complementary medicine in a sample of patients with cancer in Jordan.

Method: The study took the form of a cross-sectional survey of patients attending the outpatient departments at King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC), a specialist cancer centre in Amman. The method was based on using a semi-structured questionnaire.

Results: A total of 1138 patients with cancer were interviewed, out of which 404 (35.5%) reported using botanicals based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) primarily bought form Jordan (85.1%) and used in the crude form as infusions (73.3%). Only 6.8% used herbal products in a dosage form. Most of CAM users were above 40 years of age (63.1%). Recommendation of a friend was the main factor that prompted them to use CAM (41.8%).

Conclusion: This study revealed that CAM use is common among patients with cancer in Jordan.