EXPECTATIONS, HESITATION, AND INFLUENCE ON USING COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AMONG CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS IN DEOGHAR DISTRICT, JHARKHAND

Introduction:

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive condition often associated with comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The conventional treatment is for lifetime, either by medication and/or renal replacement therapy. Hence, many patients start using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with adherence or without adherence to conventional treatment. In India, there are rich CAM treatment methods for various communicable and non-communicable diseases. However, what makes patients hesitate about using CAM for CKD treatment has not been explored. Hence, we conducted this study to explore the expectations, hesitation, and influence of using CAM among CKD patients in the Deoghar district, Jharkhand, India.

Methods:

A hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with 100 patients suffering from CKD attending the general medicine outpatient department from July to September 2024. Patients who were using or used CAM in the last year of treatment were included as a convenience sample. The modified Attitudes and Beliefs about CAM (ABCAM) questionnaire was used to collect data from the patients. This questionnaire collects data on three domains – expectations (9 statements), hesitation (10 statements), and influence (6 statements). An expert surveyor collected data from the patients.

Results:

A total of 100 patients suffering from CKD (70 men, 30 women) with a mean age of 50.89±13.32 years participated in the study. A total of 15 patients were receiving haemodialysis and the rest were being treated by medications. The majority of the patients were using Homeopathy (n = 71), followed by Ayurveda (n = 29). The overall expectation score (3.16±0.5) was higher than the hesitation (2.72±0.32) and influence (2.88±0.55) score (Figure 1), ANOVA P <0.0001. Patients think that using CAM would help to cope with CKD (3.52±0.54). However, they opined that finding a good CAM practitioner is difficult (3.64±0.5). Patients are influenced highest by their family members (3.34±0.86).

Conclusions:

Patients suffering from CKD were using Homeopathy and Ayurveda although there are other treatment modalities like Yoga, Naturopathy, Siddha, and Unani are approved CAM in India. The overall expectation from CAM was notably higher than hesitation and influence. Patients believe that CAM could help them cope with CKD and its complications, yet they expressed difficulty in finding skilled CAM practitioners. Family influence plays a significant role in shaping patients' decisions to pursue CAM treatments. These findings emphasize the need for better access to qualified CAM practitioners and suggest that patients’ positive expectations could be leveraged to enhance integrative care approaches for CKD management.

I have no potential conflict of interest to disclose.

I used generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process.
During the preparation of this work the author(s) used ChatGPt-4o (Open AI) in order to correct grammar and language of the abstract. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication