OBJECTIVES: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among thalassemia patients has become popular these days. Nevertheless, the use of CAM in Malaysia is believed as new and it has not been explored further. Therefore, this study is done with the purpose to investigate the patterns in the usage of CAM amongst thalassemia patients in Malaysia

METHODS: The study involved 390 thalassaemia patients and was conducted at the Kedah Thalassaemia Society, Alor Setar, Malaysia. The Short form survey version 2 (SF-36) was used to determine the health related quality of life.

RESULTS: A study showed that out of 390 thalassemia patients, 80% (n=313) had used CAM as a treatment for the illness. Meanwhile, the use of CAM is significantly associated with age (p<0.001), level of education (p=0.020), and monthly income (p=0.037). On another note, the study also revealed that the most common methods used in CAM are prayers with 61% (n=178), followed by taking nutritional supplements with 65% (n=174), while special diet came third with 35% (n=94) and spiritual with 17% (n=50). When looking at the sources of CAM, patients mostly obtain the information about CAM by themselves at 68.7% (n=215), and 64% (n=200) patients received the information about CAM from family and friends. However, there were only 85 (27.2%) patients shared the information on CAM with their doctors while 71 patients (37.8%) were not willing to disclose the CAM treatment to their doctors as they regarded CAM as “not important for doctors to know”.

CONCLUSIONS: It is afraid that CAM could give adverse effects to its users when combined with conventional treatment received. Medical practitioners and other healthcare providers alike should have open discussion with thalassemia patients to delve deeper into the information of CAM: its usage, effects, advantages, and disadvantages.