How do patients choose acupuncturists? A mixed methods project

Abstract

Question Government policy is to develop statutory regulation of complementary medicine practitioners in the UK. Acupuncturists are not yet subject to statutory regulation and hence potential patients face difficult decisions. A qualitative study explored patients’ experiences. A quantitative vignette study investigated the impact of 3 practitioner-factors (gender, training location, qualifications) and 1 patient-factor (gender). Methods Qualitative study: 35 acupuncture patients were recruited from 7 clinics and the community (maximum variation sampling). Semi-structured interviews about their experiences of acupuncture were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. Quantitative study: 83 participants imagined wanting to consult an acupuncturist for persistent back pain. They rated 8 fictional acupuncturists. Results Acupuncture patients were concerned to find trustworthy acupuncturists and valued personal recommendations from trusted others. In the absence of such recommendations potential patients preferred female acupuncturists (F(1,76)=30.63, p Conclusions People are concerned about the trustworthiness and authenticity of acupuncturists. (Potential) patients need to be clearly informed about statutory regulation and its implications, and GPs could better support their patients in choosing complementary medicine practitioners.