Sema KÖMÜRKARA, Hatice OLTULUOĞLU
İnönü Üniversitesi Sağlık Hizmetleri Meslek Yüksek Okulu Dergisi - 2026;14(2):429-443
This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted to examine complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) use and illness perception among liver transplant patients. The study included 141 patients followed in a liver transplant unit in Türkiye. Data were collected using a Patient Information Form, the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Approaches Scale, and the Brief Illness Perception Scale. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analyses were used to analyze the data. Overall, 57.4% of patients self-reported using at least one CAM method. Within the CAM scale subdimensions, spiritually oriented practices such as praying(87.2%)and laughing-related coping behaviors(87.2%)were among the most frequently reported approaches. The mean score of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Approaches Scale was 34.49 +/- 10.68, while the mean Brief Illness Perception Scale score was 41.71 +/- 4.53. These findings suggest that liver transplant recipients tend to use CAM. To ensure patient safety and treatment adherence in the post-transplant period, it is recommended that nurses regularly assess patients' illness perceptions and implement holistic education and monitoring protocols regarding the risks of unsupervised CAM use.
