A qualitative analysis of adolescents' experiences of active and sham Japanese-style acupuncture protocols administered in a clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Acupuncture is a complex holistic intervention in which patient-practitioner relationships and healing changes occur in interactive, iterative ways. Qualitative research is one way to capture such complexity. This study sought to understand better the experiences of adolescents involved in acupuncture treatment.


METHODS
We included a qualitative substudy as part of a pilot randomized sham-controlled study of the use of Japanese acupuncture to treat chronic pelvic pain in adolescent girls. Seven (7) interviews were attained. Themes were double-coded and analyzed using qualitative analysis software.


RESULTS
Regardless of treatment arm, all subjects reported positive study-related changes, often attributed to positive qualities of the patient-practitioner relationship. Participants in both the sham and verum acupuncture treatment arms reported in the narratives that they were unsure of their study assignment. In contrast, the study's close-ended success of blinding question suggests that some participants were sure of their treatment allocation.


CONCLUSIONS
As we continue to study acupuncture using sham controls, we need a better understanding of the possible affects of sham treatments on both treatment outcomes and success of blinding. Qualitative research is one-way to explore subtle emergent changes in participants' experiences.
Conboy
Lisa
L
New England School of Acupuncture, Newton, MA, USA. lisa_conboy@hms.harvard.edu
Quilty
Mary T
MT
Kerr
Catherine
C
Shaw
Jessica
J
Wayne
Peter
P
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult