Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35698124›Full record

ArticleBMC complementary medicine and therapies2022

Exploring patient experiences and acceptability of group vs. individual acupuncture for Cancer-related pain: a qualitative study.

Devesh Oberoi, Erica N Reed, Katherine-Ann Piedalue, Jessa Landmann, Linda E Carlson

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03641222 (A Non-Inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Community), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03641222 nacompletednot on this map

A Non-Inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Community (Group) Acupuncture to Individual Acupuncture to Alleviate Cancer Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of CalgaryRan2017 to 2018Enrolled76ConditionsCancer, PainArmsAcupuncture
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Acupuncture for cancer symptoms: Clinical application and longitudinal impact a retrospective observational real-world data study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Observational
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Devesh OberoiDivision of Psychosocial Oncology, Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Erica N ReedDivision of Psychosocial Oncology, Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Katherine-Ann PiedalueDivision of Psychosocial Oncology, Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Jessa LandmannVive Integrative Health Group, 1889 - 45 Street NW, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Linda E CarlsonDivision of Psychosocial Oncology, Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. lcarlso@ucalgary.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4411-2085

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIndividual acupuncture (AP) is a safe and effective treatment for cancer-related pain and other symptoms in cancer survivors. However, access to individual AP is limited, and costs can be prohibitive. Group AP could be a more cost-effective alternative as it is less expensive and non-inferior to individual AP for pain relief. Despite growing evidence in favour of group AP, patient acceptability and experience of group AP in cancer patients is relatively unknown. This exploratory study sought to compare patient experiences and acceptability of group versus individual AP in cancer patients.

methodsSemi-structured, open-ended, in-depth interviews were conducted in a subset of 11 cancer patients enrolled in a randomized non-inferiority trial of group vs. individual AP for cancer pain. Participants for this study were recruited via purposive sampling, aiming for diversity in age, sex, education, employment, cancer types, and treatment arms. Data was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

resultsTwo major themes were identified: a) overall experience of AP treatment b) value of AP. Participants across both treatment arms acknowledged improvement in pain, quality of sleep, mood and fatigue. Participants in the group AP arm reported a significant increase in perceived social support, while participants in the individual arm valued privacy and one-on-one interaction with the acupuncturist. Although some participants in the group arm had privacy-related concerns before the commencement of the program, these concerns waned after a few AP sessions. Participants across both the treatment arms reported cordial clinician-patient relationship with the acupuncturist. Willingness to pursue AP treatment in the future was comparable across both the treatment arms and was limited by out-of-pocket costs.

conclusionPatient acceptability and experience of treatment in group AP was on par with individual AP. Group AP may further augment perceived social support among patients and privacy concerns, if any, subside after a few sessions.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03641222 ). Registered 10 July 2018 - Retrospectively registered.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyCancer PainNeoplasmsHumansPainPain ManagementPatient Outcome AssessmentAcupunctureGroup acupunctureIndividual acupunctureOncologyPatient experiencePatient privacyQualitativeSocial support

Identifiers

PMID35698124
PMCPMC9190111

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.