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All Subjects: Complementary and Alternative Medicine
All Subjects: Coping
Creators: Irving, Andrea
Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection

The Integration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) into Western Biomedical Oncology Treatment

Description

Through a standpoint feminist perspective (Harding 2009) I conducted a situational analysis (Clarke, 2015) that examined academic literature and cancer support discussion boards (DBs) to identify how Western biomedicine, specifically oncology, can integrate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to improve cancer treatment in children. The aims of this project were: 1) to identify the CAM treatments that are being used to alleviate the side effects from oncological treatments and/or treat pediatric cancers; 2) to compare the subjective experience of CAM to Western biomedicine of cancer patients who leave comments on Group Loop, Cancer Compass and Cancer Forums, which are online support groups (N=20). I used grounded theory and situational mapping to analyze discussion threads. The participants identified using the following CAM treatments: herbs, imagery, prayer, stinging nettle, meditation, mind-body therapies and supplements. The participants turned to CAM treatments when their cancer was late-stage or terminal, often as an integrative and not exclusively to treat their cancer. CAM was more "effective" than biomedical oncology treatment at improving their overall quality of life and functionality. We found that youth on discussion boards did not discuss CAM treatments like the adult participants, but all participants visited these sites for support and verification of their cancer treatments. My main integration recommendation is to combine mind-body CAM therapies with biomedical treatment. This project fills the gap in literature that ignores the ideas of vulnerable populations by providing the experiences of adult and pediatric cancer patients, and that of their families. It is applicable to areas of the social studies of medicine, patient care, and families suffering from cancer. KEYWORDS: Cancer; Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Situational Analysis; Standpoint Feminism

ContributorsEsposito, Sydney Maria (Author) / Martinez, AirÃÂn (Thesis director) / Hruschka, Daniel (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2016-12

The Effects of Stress on the Endocrine System

Description

The following paper explores the various effects of stress on the endocrine system. Many understand that being stressed can jeopardize maintaining adequate health, but what specifically happens when humans are stressed? Why does stress affect human health? This paper delves into background information, previous research, and the depths to which stress negatively affects the body. The effects stress has on the endocrine system, specifically on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), is discussed, and additionally, at home de-stressing methods are researched. The study included a set of participants at Arizona State University. The method took place over the course of 2 weeks: one normal week, and the other with the implementation of a de-stressing method. The normal week involved the participants living their daily lives with the addition of a stress-measuring survey, while the second week involved implementing a de-stressing method and stress-measuring survey. The purpose of this study was to discover if there was a correlation between performing these relaxation activities and decreasing stress levels in ASU students. The results found that students reported they felt more relaxed and calm after the activities. Overall, this thesis provides information and first hand research on the effects of stress and stress-reducing activities and discusses the importance of maintaining lower stress levels throughout everyday life.

ContributorsGebara, Nayla F (Co-author) / Weissmann, Megan (Co-author) / Don, Rachael (Thesis director) / Irving, Andrea (Committee member) / Kizer, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2021-05

The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine to Aid Scandinavian Populations Affected

Description

With the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), there have been many breakthroughs with aid in assisting Scandinavian populations who are affected by autoimmune diseases. What has been found is CAM has been used since the eighteen hundreds to heal or even control the Scandinavian populations health problems.5 With the use of botanical, mineral, and chemical therapies, the Scandinavian population has used these methods to create a starting block for their pathway to many different CAM therapies.5 Autoimmune diseases can be brought upon any person with little warning and are currently affecting over 23.5 million Americans.2 Researchers are still looking into how autoimmune disease are sneaking up on individuals and what can be done to help maintain or fix the state of the individual. If someone is known to have an autoimmune disease, it is vital they see a physician who specializes in these diseases to properly follow a treatment plan.

ContributorsTorres, Danielle Monique Doreen (Author) / Irving, Andrea (Thesis director) / Forouzeshyekta, Marjon (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2020-12