Article
Clinical Neurology
Benedicte Marie Finger, Annika Triller, Ashley M. Bourke, Gert Jan Lammers, Christian Veauthier, Merve Yildizli, Ulf Kallweit
Summary: This study investigated the frequency and characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in German narcolepsy patients. 15% of patients were using CAM at the time of the survey, and an additional 18% reported past use. The most commonly used CAM treatments were vitamins/trace elements, homeopathy, and meditation. CAM users were more likely to experience side effects from medication and have low adherence to pharmacological treatment.
Article
Oncology
Nazi Nejat, Amir Rahbarian, Fatemeh Mehrabi, Fatemeh Rafiei
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among cancer patients in Iran. The findings showed that 44.3% of the 320 participants were using CAM. Most patients used CAM to improve their physical condition and used it alongside conventional medical treatments. Common CAM treatments included visiting holy places, practicing yoga, engaging in prayer therapy, and using medicinal plants and special diets.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Integrative & Complementary Medicine
Mohamad Ali Hijazi, Hibeh Shatila, Zeina Omeich, Abdalla El-Lakany, Maha Aboul Ela, Farah Naja
Summary: The study revealed gaps between customers' perceptions and practices in the use of CAM, as well as areas for improvement in the services provided by pharmacists. These findings could be utilized to develop evidence-based interventions aimed at promoting the role of pharmacists in ensuring safe and effective CAM use in Lebanon.
BMC COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE AND THERAPIES
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hongmin Chu, Seunghwan Moon, Jeongsu Park, Seongjun Bak, Youme Ko, Bo-Young Youn
Summary: The development of artificial intelligence in complementary and alternative medicine has been rapidly advancing. This systematic scoping review identified three main categories of AI usage in CAM, including acupuncture treatment, tongue and lip diagnoses, and herbal medicine. Future research should focus on verifying and validating these AI models through large-scale clinical trials.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anja Stoecker, Anja Mehnert-Theuerkauf, Andreas Hinz, Jochen Ernst
Summary: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and methods of CAM use in breast cancer and gynecological cancer patients, compare CAM users vs. non-CAM users regarding their sociodemographic and medical characteristics, and investigate the relationship between CAM use and QoL. The results showed that 46.5% of the patients used some form of CAM, and CAM use was higher in breast cancer patients. CAM users were younger, more educated, and financially better off, but had a lower global health status/QoL.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Elvin Peter Chizenga, Heidi Abrahamse
Summary: Good medicine is based on good science, open to new paradigms, and requires a well-structured and multifactorial treatment regime for complex diseases like cancer. Integrative oncology combines CAM therapies with modern medicine, emphasizing the importance of understanding genetic and epigenetic characteristics of individual cancers. Targeting the specific features of tumors at the genetic and epigenetic levels is crucial for successful therapy.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Seyed Hamdollah Mosavat, Mehdi Pasalar, Hassan Joulaei, Vira Ameli, Seyed Taghi Heydari, Ali Mirzazadeh, Mohammad Hashem Hashempur
Summary: This study examines the frequency and reasons behind the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among people living with HIV in Shiraz, Iran. The results show that the majority of participants use CAM, and there is no significant difference in quality of life between those who use CAM and those who do not.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Oncology
J. Huebner, R. Muecke, O. Micke, F. -J Prott, L. Josfeld, J. Buentzel, J. Buentzel
Summary: This study investigates whether cancer patients' concepts of how and why cancer develops have an influence on their choice of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The results show that many patients use CAM, with supplements, relaxation techniques, and homeopathy being the most commonly used methods. While all lay etiological beliefs are associated with the overall usage of CAM, there is no association between specific etiological concepts and types of CAM used. These findings suggest that patients may have other needs addressed by CAM.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Sebastiano Mercadante, Giuseppe Bellavia, Alessio Lo Cascio, Marcella Dabbene, Grazia di Silvestre, Alessandra Casuccio
Summary: The study surveyed 283 advanced cancer patients receiving home care and found that only 4.2% of patients were using complementary alternative medicines (CAM). The indications and types of CAM varied among patients, with different costs involved. Further analysis was not performed due to the limited number of patients using CAM.
SUPPORTIVE CARE IN CANCER
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Qi Jin, Lumin Liu, Yuelai Chen, Ping Yin
Summary: Insomnia is common in breast cancer patients and affects their quality of life and treatment outcomes. Though sedative drugs have rapid effects, they come with side effects, withdrawal effects, and dependence. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been used to treat cancer-related insomnia, but its effectiveness and safety vary, and there is no standardized clinical application.
Article
Oncology
Vicente Escudero-Vilaplana, Roberto Collado-Borrell, Patricia Gomez Martinez-Sagrera, Cristina Villanueva-Bueno, Jose Luis Revuelta-Herrero, Eva Gonzalez-Haba, Angela Hoyo-Munoz, Yolanda Jerez Gilarranz, Belen Marzal-Alfaro, Ana Herranz, Miguel Martin, Maria Sanjurjo
Summary: This study examined the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer patients and the interactions between CAM and antineoplastic agents. The results showed a high incidence of interactions between CAM and antineoplastic agents, with herbal products being the most commonly used CAM. Family and friends were the primary sources of information that led patients to start taking CAM, and more than half of the patients did not inform their doctors about their CAM use.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Adamasco Cupisti, Domenico Giannese, Claudia D'Alessandro, Alessia Benedetti, Vincenzo Panichi, Carlo Alfieri, Giuseppe Castellano, Piergiorgio Messa
Summary: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including herbal remedies, probiotics, and vitamins, is often used in the treatment of kidney stone patients. However, most dietary supplements claiming to treat or prevent kidney stones lack scientific evidence. Clinicians should inform patients that the effects of these supplements are largely unknown and that absence of evidence does not mean lack of potential harm. Despite the popularity of CAM products among kidney stone patients, the lack of knowledge in this field prevents their recommendation in daily clinical practice, with only a weak suggestion for their use being reasonable.
Article
Oncology
Clemens P. J. G. Wolf, Tobias Rachow, Thomas Ernst, Andreas Hochhaus, Bijan Zomorodbakhsch, Susan Foller, Matthias Rengsberger, Michael Hartmann, Jutta Huebner
Summary: The study aimed to analyze the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) supplements in cancer patients and identified younger age and a longer cancer history as predictors for CAM supplement use. It was found that over-the-counter CAM supplements can potentially interact with conventional cancer therapy, emphasizing the importance of physician-patient communication and monitoring for interactions to ensure patient safety.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jussi Valtonen, Ville-Juhani Ilmarinen, Jan-Erik Lonnqvist
Summary: The study found that individual political orientation is associated with the use of conventional medicine (CM) and complementary/alternative medicine (CAM). People with an anti-corruption political orientation are less likely to use CM but more likely to use CAM. People with a Green/alternative/libertarian political orientation are more likely to use CAM. Poor health status moderates the association between anti-corruption political orientation and CM use, but not between political orientation and CAM use.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Jin Young Yoon, Seok-Jae Ko, Jae-Woo Park, Jae Myung Cha
Summary: Many Asian patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) are unsatisfied with conventional medical treatment and are seeking complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. However, there is limited research on CAM for FD specifically in an Asian context. Traditional herbal formulas, STW-5, peppermint and caraway, FDgard, black seed oil, and psychotherapy have been used in FD patients, but the evidence supporting their effectiveness is weak. Well-planned, large-scale studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of CAM in treating FD, especially in Asian countries.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Hadia Radwan, Mona Hashim, Hayder Hasan, Nada Abbas, Reyad R. Shaker Obaid, Hessa Al Ghazal, Farah Naja
Summary: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet during pregnancy has been found to reduce excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention, highlighting the importance of promoting this diet for the health of both mother and infant.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Melika Hajjar, Arezoo Rezazadeh, Farah Naja, Mehdi Kardoust Parizi, Saba Jalali, Bahram Rashidkhani
Summary: The study showed that adherence to the traditional Nordic diet can reduce the risk of bladder cancer, with consumption of fish and whole-grain bread appearing to decrease the odds of bladder cancer. These findings could be valuable for evidence-based interventions in bladder cancer prevention efforts.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Management
Moon Fai Chan, Amal Ahmed Al Balushi, Samir Al-Adawi, Mohamad Alameddine, Muna Al Saadoon, Karen Bou-Karroum
Summary: The study identified two distinct groups of nurses in Oman facing different occupational problems: one group needing attention to work-life imbalance, while the other group needing attention on all occupational issues.
JOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Melika Hajjar, Arezoo Rezazadeh, Farah Naja, Mehdi Kardoust Parizi, Reza Alaghehbandan, Marzie Pourkerman, Bahram Rashidkhani
Summary: This study investigated the association between dietary quality and bladder cancer risk among Iranian adults. The findings suggested that adherence to Recommended Food Score (RFS) was associated with a decreased risk of bladder cancer, while a higher Non-Recommended Food Score (n-RFS) was linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer.
NUTRITION AND CANCER-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hadia Radwan, Hayder Hasan, Zeinab Jaafar, Nada Abbas, Eman Rashed Saif, Mahra Al Kitbi, Marwa Al Hilali, Farah Naja
Summary: A cross-sectional web-based survey conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) revealed widespread use of diets and dietary supplements (DDS) for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, with social media being the main source of information for DDS use.
SAUDI PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Farah Naja, Hayder Hasan, Safiya Hassan Khadem, Maryam Ahmed Buanq, Haya Khalid Al-Mulla, Aysha Khalifa Aljassmi, MoezAlIslam Ezzat Faris
Summary: Research indicates that adherence to the Mediterranean diet among university students is associated with better sleep quality and morningness chronotype.
FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Farah Naja, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Nada Abbas, Sheima Saleh, Habiba Ali
Summary: This study found a low adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) among women of childbearing age in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and it was negatively associated with Environmental Footprints (EFPs). The findings suggest that the MD may be a promising dietary strategy to improve health outcomes and reduce the environmental impact.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Samir Al-Adawi, Mohamad Alameddine, Muna Al-Saadoon, Amal A. Al Balushi, Moon Fai Chan, Karen Bou-Karroum, Hamad Al-Kindy, Saud M. Al-Harthi
Summary: This study examines the impact of work-life imbalance on cognitive functioning and affective ranges. The findings suggest that work-life imbalance is a significant risk factor for cognitive decline, particularly in attention, concentration, learning, and remembering.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Farah Naja, Nahla Hwalla, Fatima Al Zahraa Chokor, Rasha Zgheib, Lara Nasreddine
Summary: This study assessed the feeding practices of infants and young children in Lebanon and identified several factors associated with these practices. The results revealed suboptimal feeding practices among Lebanese children.
PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shadi Saleh, Dina Muhieddine, Randa S. Hamadeh, Hani Dimassi, K. Diaconu, Aya Noubani, Stella Arakelyan, Alastair Ager, Mohamad Alameddine
Summary: This study assesses and describes the use and delivery patterns of non-communicable disease (NCD) services in two contrasting fragility contexts, as well as by other equity-related characteristics including gender, nationality, and health coverage. The results reveal significant differences in outpatient service use based on setting, nationality, and gender.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mohamad Alameddine, Farah Otaki, Karen Bou-Karroum, Leon Du Preez, Pietie Loubser, Reem Algurg, Alawi Alsheikh-Ali
Summary: This study investigated the role of gender in shaping patients' perspectives towards their opportunities for shared decision making (SDM) in Dubai, UAE. The findings revealed that while patients' perspectives on SDM were not influenced by their own gender, significant differences were observed based on the gender of their physicians. Female physicians were more engaged in SDM compared to their male counterparts, and male physician-female patient dyads received the lowest scores on SDM.
Editorial Material
Nursing
Wegdan Bani-Issa, Manar Abu Talib, Fiona Timmins, Maria Brenner, Mohamad Alameddine
JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING
(2023)
Review
Management
Mohamad Alameddine, Nabeel Al-Yateem, Karen Bou-Karroum, Heba Hijazi, Alounoud Al Marzouqi, Samir Al-Adawi
Summary: This article reviews existing instruments for measuring work-life balance and highlights their shortcomings. While these tools provide a foundation for measuring work-life balance, adjustments need to be made for specific cultural and professional contexts. Future measures should also consider the impact of disruptive events like COVID-19.
JOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Hayette Faroun, Nabil Zary, Khalifa Baqer, Farida Alkhaja, Kareem Gad, Mohamad Alameddine, Hanan Al Suwaidi
Summary: The government of Dubai launched a mass vaccination campaign in December 2020, transforming multiple commercial spaces into vaccination centers. The study aims to explore the opinions of healthcare stakeholders and identify key success factors for effective delivery of emergency healthcare services, such as a COVID-19 vaccination center.
JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Heba Hijazi, Mohamad Alameddine, Rabah M. Al Abdi, Wegdan Baniissa, Amer Sindiani, Nabeel Al-Yateem, Alham Al-Sharman, Alounoud Al Marzouqi, Ahmed Hossain
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the association between inter-pregnancy interval (IPI) and the risks of adverse birth outcomes in a subsequent pregnancy. The results showed that both short and long IPIs were related to an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight. Therefore, optimal birth spacing is recommended to improve birth outcomes and should be considered in designing effective family planning programs.
BIRTH-ISSUES IN PERINATAL CARE
(2023)