‘Forms of treatment that are used in addition to (complementary) or instead of (alternative) standard treatments. These practices generally are not considered standard medical approaches. Standard treatments go through a long and careful research process to prove they are safe and effective, but less is known about most types of CAM. CAM may include dietary supplements, megadose vitamins, herbal preparations, special teas, acupuncture, massage therapy, magnet therapy, spiritual healing, and meditation’ (National Cancer Institute, 2008a).
Published in Chapter:
Internet Use and Health Decision Making by Breast Cancer Patients in Malaysia
Gerald Goh Guan Gan (Multimedia University, Malaysia) and Khor Yoke Lim (Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia)
Copyright: © 2010
|Pages: 19
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61520-670-4.ch041
Abstract
Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a complicated and disruptive experience for many. Apart from the effects of cancer on their physiological state, patients are required to make important life-changing decisions within a short period of time. To most patients, their physicians act as the main source of medical treatment information. While physicians maintain their trusted role as being the key source of medical treatment information, patients find that their physicians do not provide all the answers to their questions. The Internet is a convenient and inexpensive information resource that assists patients and their care-givers in the decision-making process by providing them with answers to queries that come to mind, detailed explanation of medical jargon and cancer treatment options. Due to the limited time that physicians have with their patients and the power imbalance inherent in their possession of medical knowledge, patients and their care-givers turn to the Internet to seek for more detailed information to supplement the medical advice provided by their physicians. Apart from that, the Internet also provides patients with enhanced capacity to engage in constructive discourse with their healthcare providers thereby bringing new issues and concerns to the patient-physician relationship.