Timing and Motivations for Alternative Cancer Therapy With Insights From a Crowdfunding Platform: Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Study
BackgroundAlternative cancer therapy is associated with increased mortality, but little is known about those who pursue it. ObjectiveWe aimed to describe individuals’ motivations for using alternative cancer therapies and determine whether motivations differ based...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JMIR Publications
2022-06-01
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| Series: | JMIR Cancer |
| Online Access: | https://cancer.jmir.org/2022/2/e34183 |
| _version_ | 1797735008661667840 |
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| author | John Peterson Trevor Wilson Joshua Gruhl Sydney Davis Jaxon Olsen Matthew Parsons Benjamin Kann Angela Fagerlin Melissa Watt Skyler Johnson |
| author_facet | John Peterson Trevor Wilson Joshua Gruhl Sydney Davis Jaxon Olsen Matthew Parsons Benjamin Kann Angela Fagerlin Melissa Watt Skyler Johnson |
| author_sort | John Peterson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundAlternative cancer therapy is associated with increased mortality, but little is known about those who pursue it.
ObjectiveWe aimed to describe individuals’ motivations for using alternative cancer therapies and determine whether motivations differ based on individuals’ timing of seeking alternative therapies.
MethodsWe used data from 649 campaigns posted on the website GoFundMe between 2011 and 2019 for beneficiaries with cancer pursuing alternative therapy. The data were analyzed using a mixed methods approach. Campaigns were categorized by timing of alternative therapy (either before or after experiencing conventional therapy). Qualitative analysis identified motivational themes. Chi-square tests of independence and Fisher tests (all 2-sided) determined significant differences in the presence of motivational themes between groups.
ResultsThe expression of concerns about the efficacy of conventional therapy was significantly more likely in campaigns for individuals who used conventional therapy first than in campaigns for individuals who started with alternative therapy (63.3% vs 41.7%; P<.001). Moreover, on comparing those who started with alternative therapy and those who switched from conventional to alternative therapy, those who started with alternative therapy more often expressed natural and holistic values (49.3% vs 27.0%; P<.001), expressed an unorthodox understanding of cancer (25.5% vs 16.4%; P=.004), referenced religious or spiritual beliefs (15.1% vs 8.9%; P=.01), perceived alternative treatment as efficacious (19.1% vs 10.2%; P=.001), and distrusted pharmaceutical companies (3.2% vs 0.5%; P=.04).
ConclusionsIndividuals sought treatments that reflected their values and beliefs, even if scientifically unfounded. Many individuals who reported prior conventional cancer therapy were motivated to pursue alternative treatments because they perceived the conventional treatments to be ineffective. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:52:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a4b10759cbac42cd8509a1ffbc38813e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2369-1999 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:52:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Cancer |
| spelling | doaj.art-a4b10759cbac42cd8509a1ffbc38813e2023-08-28T22:14:05ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Cancer2369-19992022-06-0182e3418310.2196/34183Timing and Motivations for Alternative Cancer Therapy With Insights From a Crowdfunding Platform: Cross-sectional Mixed Methods StudyJohn Petersonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6516-5779Trevor Wilsonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1311-2998Joshua Gruhlhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3159-9936Sydney Davishttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4064-556XJaxon Olsenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0145-8649Matthew Parsonshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1543-5309Benjamin Kannhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4313-2754Angela Fagerlinhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9192-2777Melissa Watthttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1317-3536Skyler Johnsonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8881-7706 BackgroundAlternative cancer therapy is associated with increased mortality, but little is known about those who pursue it. ObjectiveWe aimed to describe individuals’ motivations for using alternative cancer therapies and determine whether motivations differ based on individuals’ timing of seeking alternative therapies. MethodsWe used data from 649 campaigns posted on the website GoFundMe between 2011 and 2019 for beneficiaries with cancer pursuing alternative therapy. The data were analyzed using a mixed methods approach. Campaigns were categorized by timing of alternative therapy (either before or after experiencing conventional therapy). Qualitative analysis identified motivational themes. Chi-square tests of independence and Fisher tests (all 2-sided) determined significant differences in the presence of motivational themes between groups. ResultsThe expression of concerns about the efficacy of conventional therapy was significantly more likely in campaigns for individuals who used conventional therapy first than in campaigns for individuals who started with alternative therapy (63.3% vs 41.7%; P<.001). Moreover, on comparing those who started with alternative therapy and those who switched from conventional to alternative therapy, those who started with alternative therapy more often expressed natural and holistic values (49.3% vs 27.0%; P<.001), expressed an unorthodox understanding of cancer (25.5% vs 16.4%; P=.004), referenced religious or spiritual beliefs (15.1% vs 8.9%; P=.01), perceived alternative treatment as efficacious (19.1% vs 10.2%; P=.001), and distrusted pharmaceutical companies (3.2% vs 0.5%; P=.04). ConclusionsIndividuals sought treatments that reflected their values and beliefs, even if scientifically unfounded. Many individuals who reported prior conventional cancer therapy were motivated to pursue alternative treatments because they perceived the conventional treatments to be ineffective.https://cancer.jmir.org/2022/2/e34183 |
| spellingShingle | John Peterson Trevor Wilson Joshua Gruhl Sydney Davis Jaxon Olsen Matthew Parsons Benjamin Kann Angela Fagerlin Melissa Watt Skyler Johnson Timing and Motivations for Alternative Cancer Therapy With Insights From a Crowdfunding Platform: Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Study JMIR Cancer |
| title | Timing and Motivations for Alternative Cancer Therapy With Insights From a Crowdfunding Platform: Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Study |
| title_full | Timing and Motivations for Alternative Cancer Therapy With Insights From a Crowdfunding Platform: Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Study |
| title_fullStr | Timing and Motivations for Alternative Cancer Therapy With Insights From a Crowdfunding Platform: Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Timing and Motivations for Alternative Cancer Therapy With Insights From a Crowdfunding Platform: Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Study |
| title_short | Timing and Motivations for Alternative Cancer Therapy With Insights From a Crowdfunding Platform: Cross-sectional Mixed Methods Study |
| title_sort | timing and motivations for alternative cancer therapy with insights from a crowdfunding platform cross sectional mixed methods study |
| url | https://cancer.jmir.org/2022/2/e34183 |
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