Perceived Social Influence and CAM Adoption in Men with Prostate Cancer: Implications for Patient-Centered Care

Background: The utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is steadily gaining relevance worldwide. Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer often turn to CAM for either a cure or symptom relief. Various social factors influence the decision to use CAM, whether as an alternative to or in conjunction with conventional treatment. Objective: The study aimed at exploring the social factors perceived to influence the use of CAM among men with prostate cancer receiving treatment in a Teaching Hospital. Methods: An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was used in conducting this study. Sixteen (16) men with prostate cancer were purposively sampled for the study. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data from the participants. All the interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis, coding and categorization. Results: Findings show that participants believe herbal treatments have a long-standing history and are natural. Also, people endorse CAM therapies as viable treatment options. Conclusions: The use of CAM is a common practice. The study highlighted that men with prostate cancer perceive herbal treatments as natural and rooted in long-standing traditions, and are widely endorsed as useful treatment options.