Acupuncture use among people living with HIV/AIDS in Northern Thailand: motives, barriers, and attitudes.

摘要: The present cross-sectional qualitative study examined attitudes toward and motives for acupuncture use disuse among people with HIV/AIDS (PHA) in Northern Thailand. Over a seven-day period interviews were conducted Thai by two research assistants PHA volunteers on 20 patients. social support psychological well-being clinical symptoms analgesic avoidance the primary users. Among non-acupuncture users better health status instrument aversion lower effectiveness high perceived risk of deleterious interactions antiretroviral therapy inferiority to conventional medicine lack time knowledge main reasons disuse. Nineteen out twenty patients expressed positive or neutral acupuncture. Further is recommended explore long-term benefits ramifications as substitute pharmacological pain interventions. Though not panacea that everyone care providers should educate about acupunctures prophylactic offer services at more convenient times be aware potential barriers use. (authors)