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

Abstract

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