Physicians' influence on veterans' decision to use acupuncture.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare patients' acupuncture use with physician's attitudes toward and history of referral for acupuncture. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to patients of the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the physicians whom they identified as most influencing their healthcare decisions. A total of 114 patients were matched with 33 physicians. RESULTS: Physicians' history of referral was not significantly related to patients' acupuncture use. Physicians' belief that acupuncture would increase patient satisfaction, however, was associated with higher rates of patient acupuncture use (p=0.01). Qualitative analysis of an open-ended question that probed further into physicians' attitudes regarding acupuncture revealed three key themes: lack of knowledge about the treatment; misperceptions regarding availability of acupuncture at VA; and lack of VA providers to meet demand. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that physicians' referral patterns are not associated with patients' acupuncture use. However, some evidence shows a link between patients' acupuncture use and physicians' beliefs that the treatment will increase patient satisfaction, showing that physician attitudes may have some influence on patients' acupuncture use. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: In order to cultivate shared-decision making between patients and their physicians it will be important to address gaps in provider knowledge about acupuncture and its availability.