Patients’ opinions on acupuncture treatment for perioperative complications: a Chinese survey
Fen Wang1, Man Zheng1, Juan Zhu1, Fang-bing Ji1, Wen-zhong Wu2, Zhen Zheng3
1 Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dept of Anaesthesiology, Nanjing, China;
2 Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dept of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Nanjing, China;
3 School of Health and Biomedical Sciences World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine RMIT University, Discipline of Chinese Medicine, Bundoora, Australia.
ABSTRACT
Background and Goal of study: Previous studies have shown that acupuncture has a broad range of effects on perioperative complications. This survey was aimed to assess the surgical patients’ opinions on the application of acupuncture for perioperative complications and to explore the possible factors that influenced their opinions.
Methods: A 20-item questionnaire was developed and conducted among adult surgical inpatients in the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China over a period of eight weeks. Patients who couldn’t understand the questionnaire were excluded. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, and occupation), patients’ knowledge about acupuncture and patients’ opinions on acupuncture treatment for perioperative complications. We obtained verbal consent from patients before giving them the questionnaire to complete. Descriptive tests were used to present data of demographics, patients’ knowledge and opinions. Chi-square was used to explore the factors that might affect patients’ opinions on using acupuncture for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).
Results and Discussion: 176 patients completed the questionnaires with a response rate of 98.9%. Less than half of them were willing to use acupuncture for PONV (n=70, 39.8%), postoperative pain (n=79, 44.9%), preoperative anxiety and insomnia (n=65, 36.9%), postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (n=76, 43.2%), and postoperative urinary retention (n=81, 46.0%). Patients who were professionals or office workers (chi square=26.181, p=0.001) or with better education (chi square=14.583, p=0.024) were more willing to use acupuncture for PONV while age or gender didn’t affect their opinions. However, those who had history of PONV were less willing to use acupuncture for PONV (chi square=10.664, p=0.005). 
Conclusions: Overall, the willingness of the surveyed Chinese patients to use acupuncture for perioperative complications was moderate (about 40%). Having higher educational levels or a professional occupation had a positive impact on their opinions on acupuncture treatment for PONV whereas PONV history had a negative impact. This survey was only taken among surgical patients in one hospital, further multi-center studies are needed to understand the opinions of patient populations with different backgrounds and different health conditions.