title: A qualitative systematic review of patients' experiences of acupuncture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the results of a systematic review of studies on acupuncture patients' health beliefs and treatment experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  The search was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, and PsychINFO for qualitative and mixed-methods studies expressing the voice of acupuncture patients. Reference lists of relevant articles were also searched. The review was restricted to studies published in English.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study selection, quality appraisal, and data extraction were performed sequentially. Quality was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument, and the Dedoose mixed methods tool was used in data management and analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four overarching themes were identified: reasons for using acupuncture, treatment experiences, treatment outcomes, and therapeutic model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients' reasons for using acupuncture are diverse and include dissatisfaction with conventional medicine and attraction to holistic and empowering models of healthcare. Treatment is thought to relieve symptoms of the presenting concern and a range of other effects that improve well-being. This review highlights the need to improve understanding of patients' health-seeking behaviors and how individually meaningful treatment outcomes may be understood and assessed, particularly within complementary and alternative medicine.
authors: School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury , Christchurch, New Zealand .
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Jakes
authors: Ray
authors: R
authors: Kirk
authors: Lauretta
authors: L
authors: Muir
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome