The Use of Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches in Patients with Behcet Disease and Its Relationship with Quality of Life.

OpenAlex İngilizce

Aim: This study aims to determine the effect of common symptoms on Quality of Life (QoL) in patients with Behcet Disease (BD) and complementary and integrative health approaches used by patients to cope with these symptoms. Methods: The population of this descriptive study consisted of all patients with BD (n = 330) who are registered with the Behçet’s Disease and Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients Association. The data were collected by the researcher and the president of the association, via an online form between 31.08.2020-06.12.2020. The sample consisted of all patients with BD who met the inclusion criteria (n=247). The data were collected using the Patient Information Form, BD Current Activity Form (BDCAF) and Behçet's Disease Quality of Life Scale (BDQoL). Findings: Joint involvement, rectal bleeding, eye involvement, number of attacks, and disease activity are determinants of 42.5% in affecting QoL (R2 = 0.425, p <0.001). 37.5% of patients with BD have been using CIHA for the last 1 year. They use black mulberry molasses (32%), coriander (9.3%), and thyme juice mouthwash (4%) for mouth sores, wet cupping (24%), and St. John’s wort oil (19%) for genital wounds among CIHA methods. Conclusion: The decisive factor in the use of CIHA in patients with BD was to have genital wounds or loss of sensation in the arm. Therefore, the results of this study are important in terms of leading to further experimental studies to determine the CIHA to be used for symptoms in patients with BD.