Global advances in integrative medicine and health最新文献

{"title":"The Impact of Peppermint Oil Aromatherapy on Hemodynamic Parameters, Anxiety, and Stress in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial.","authors":"Hossein Sharafi, Azam Hosseinpour, Meysam Hosseini-Amiri, Iman Khahan-Yazdi","doi":"10.1177/27536130261431743","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261431743","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a critical condition with diverse clinical presentations. Aromatherapy, particularly with peppermint essential oil, has been explored for its potential to alleviate patient symptoms.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study examines the effects of peppermint essential oil aromatherapy on anxiety, stress, and hemodynamic parameters in patients with ACS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This randomized, double-blind clinical trial involved ACS patients from Qom University hospitals, recruited between July 2023 and January 2024. The intervention group received 0.2 mL of peppermint essential oil on an eye pad, while the control group received normal saline. Both groups underwent 20-minute sessions in a controlled environment, with data on demographics, stress, anxiety, and hemodynamic parameters collected.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Peppermint oil significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (from 139.77 ± 10.83 to 126.36 ± 7.49 mmHg, <i>P</i> < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, pain scores, anxiety (from 24.64 ± 5.15 to 19.55 ± 3.10, <i>P</i> < 0.001), and stress levels (from 25.00 ± 5.14 to 17.18 ± 4.42, <i>P</i> < 0.001) compared to the placebo group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Peppermint essential oil aromatherapy significantly improves cardiac parameters and reduces anxiety and stress in ACS patients. These findings suggest that incorporating aromatherapy into clinical practice may enhance patient well-being and provide a complementary approach to managing the challenges associated with ACS.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261431743"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13234384/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148201272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physician and Patient Perspectives of the Usefulness and Accuracy of Medical Intuition: A Prospective Pragmatic Trial.","authors":"Helané Wahbeh, Sitara Taddeo, Wendie Colter, Leonard A Wisneski","doi":"10.1177/27536130261450860","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261450860","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physicians often use their intuition during the diagnostic process. Intuition can also be used by professional medical intuitives trained to obtain information about the potential underlying causes of health concerns.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate physician and patient perceptions of the usefulness, accuracy of, and satisfaction with medical intuition sessions and their influence on the clinical process, comparing them to virtual usual care medical visits.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This prospective within-participant design study was conducted between April and August 2024. Forty patients received an online usual care medical visit followed by a medical intuition session attended by their physician. Quantitative and qualitative surveys assessed physician and patient perspectives of the visits.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Physicians' average usefulness rating for medical intuition sessions was high overall (80.8 out of 100) and greater than usual care (<i>P</i> = .001). Physicians' accuracy ratings of the medical intuition assessments appeared very high (83.3 out of 100), and 79.5% reported that the information on the connection between a patient's life events and their health was useful. All 6 physicians reported they would recommend using medical intuitives to colleagues and that they would likely continue to use them (60.2 out of 100). They rated the medical intuition sessions as influential to their clinical process (3.6 out of 4).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Medical intuition integration into healthcare has promising potential, especially in validating patients' symptoms and enhancing comprehension of the emotional and spiritual contributions of disease. Future research should use more robust research designs, including randomized control, larger sample sizes, and a long-term follow-up.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261450860"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13230683/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148165905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Whole Person Health Index: A Self-Reported Tool to Assess Whole Person Health.","authors":"Mark H Pitcher, Helene M Langevin","doi":"10.1177/27536130261455354","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261455354","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Whole Person Health is emerging as an important concept at the forefront of efforts to address the current \"epidemic\" of chronic disease in the US. Successfully tackling a research agenda on Whole Person Health and delivering actionable results requires a tool to (1) measure multiple outcomes related to Whole Person Health in an integrated manner, (2) assess whether an individual is moving toward or away from health by repeating the measurement over time, and (3) test interventions aimed at assisting individuals in moving toward better health. This Viewpoint article describes a new person-centered measure, the Whole Person Health Index (WPHI), derived from nine questions covering key elements of Whole Person Health. The nine questions are currently being administered in the cross-sectional National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the All of Us research cohort. Each question is rated on a 5 point scale (poor to excellent), and the WPHI can be calculated as the sum of scores such that an increase in WPHI over time represents improvement. The WPHI may be useful in research and surveillance as a measure of change in self-perceived health and health-related behaviors over time, and with individuals in clinical settings to promote greater engagement in self-care and achievement of personal health goals. The purpose of this Viewpoint communication is to make the research community aware of the opportunity to freely use the instrument questions.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261455354"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13219944/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148139905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Integrative Personalized Functional Medicine Approach to Reverse Cognitive Decline: Academic Experience of the First 51 Patients Case Series.","authors":"Mikhail Kogan, Leigh A Frame, Mehrshad Fahim Devin, Christina Prather, Tania Alchalabi, Umair Ashraf, Brianna Darling Luczak, Hannah Fine, Ajowa Ifateyo, Marianna Ledenac, Sara Sally Novak, Jonah Yakel","doi":"10.1177/27536130261452680","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261452680","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias remain major public health challenges with limited treatment options. Personalized, multimodal integrative approaches have emerged as potential strategies for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early-stage AD. <b>Purpose:</b> To describe outcomes from the first 51 participants enrolled in an academic integrative functional medicine program for cognitive decline. <b>Research Design:</b> Retrospective case series, chart analysis. <b>Study Sample:</b> Participants with MCI or AD enrolled at the GW Center for Integrative Medicine (n=51, 2017-2025); 22 remained in the program for ≥2.5 years for long-term cognitive analyses. <b>Data Collection and/or Analysis:</b> Participants underwent serial cognitive assessments [Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and/or Boston Cognitive Assessment (BOCA), subset also completing CNS-Vitals and SLAMs at variable intervals]. MoCA was the prespecified primary outcome. Interventions included dietary modification, time-restricted eating, exercise, cognitive training, sleep optimization, individualized supplementation, hormonal management, and 40 Hz gamma-frequency sensory stimulation. Exploratory measures included volumetric brain MRI and Alzheimer's blood biomarkers (Aβ42/Aβ40, p-tau217, NfL) in a subset. Outcomes were summarized descriptively without formal statistical analyses. <b>Results:</b> Among participants with ≥2.5 years of follow-up, mean MoCA increased from 21.7 to 22.5, and 73% (16/22) demonstrated improvement (≥2-point increase) or stabilization (-1 to +1 points). Attrition was high; 29/51 discontinued within the first year, most commonly due to cost, program complexity, and lack of caregiver support. <b>Conclusions:</b> This program demonstrated encouraging preliminary findings of cognitive stabilization or improvement in participants with MCI or AD who remained enrolled. Controlled prospective trials are needed to determine efficacy and mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261452680"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13219804/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148139842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the Structural Validity and Measurement Invariance of the Whole Person Health Index.","authors":"Kristen Cibelli Hibben, Valerie M Ryan, Ro Nadreau, Catherine Lamoreaux, Sarah E Forrest, Paul J Scanlon, Morgan Earp, Stephen J Blumberg","doi":"10.1177/27536130261453376","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261453376","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The emergence of \"whole person health\" presents valuable opportunities for understanding and treating individuals as their complete selves. At the same time, holistic approaches to health introduce measurement challenges, highlighting the need for expansive yet manageable instruments to capture a broader concept of health. The Whole Person Health Index (WPHI) is a nine-item question set that asks respondents to rate their overall general health as well as their quality of life, social and family connections, diet, physical activity, stress, sleep, existential wellbeing, and ability to manage their health. It has been suggested for use in clinical settings and population surveys, and it has shown good promise in an initial evaluation study.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The present study offers an exploratory look at the psychometric properties of the WPHI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The WPHI items were included on the 11th round of the National Center for Health Statistics Research and Development Survey (RANDS 11), conducted January-March 2025, which used samples of adults from commercially available survey panels. Descriptive and psychometric analyses were applied to explore the factor structure and functioning of the WPHI overall and across different population subgroups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The WPHI demonstrated strong internal consistency and generally favorable measurement properties. Exploratory and confirmatory factor and bifactor analyses with split-half samples provided evidence that responses are largely driven by a dominant general factor, although model fit met some but not all conventional benchmarks for a strict single-factor model. Differential item functioning was detected for self-rated health by age, but not for other items or subgroups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, the WPHI's subjective ratings appear to reflect a common underlying construct, supporting its utility as a broad measure of health and well-being consistent with the whole person health concept. Differences in item interpretation may suggest caution making direct comparisons of index scores across age groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261453376"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13219821/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148139863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implementing an Integrative Medicine Group Visit Facilitator Training Program to Improve Chronic Pain Management in the Safety-Net.","authors":"Emiley Chang, Ruth Sie, Maria G Mechure, Youngju Pak, Ryan Abbott, Tony Kuo, Christina Randle, Joann York, Ricky Chang, Allen W Jang, Hope Cassano, Anish P Mahajan, Ka-Kit Hui","doi":"10.1177/27536130261453089","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261453089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As the opioid epidemic claims over 200 lives per day, there is an urgent need to increase access to evidence-based, non-pharmacologic modalities for pain management.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To design, implement, and evaluate an integrative medicine group visit (IMGV) facilitator training program to support group visits incorporating mind-body therapies (eg, acupuncture, meditation, tai chi, yoga) for chronic musculoskeletal pain within the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LAC DHS).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Prospective cohort pre-post study with mixed methods formative evaluation. Fifty-nine clinical staff from 3 LAC DHS medical centers and associated clinics enrolled in a 40-hour curriculum including online modules, case discussions, and onsite skills workshops in 2020. We used the <i>Self-Efficacy in Using Non-Drug Therapies for Common Symptoms</i> (SEND) scale to measure change in trainees' self-efficacy to teach selected mind-body therapies for chronic pain management. We evaluated feasibility and acceptability with the course completion rate and obtained participant feedback through program evaluations and semi-structured interviews.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>49% of staff members completed the course, primarily physicians (37%) and rehabilitation therapists (22%). Most participants (80%) were female and 28% more non-physicians completed the final exam than physicians (<i>P</i> = 0.040). SEND scores increased by 20.9 (<i>P</i> < 0.001). Trainees strongly valued the curriculum content, particularly the in-person tai chi and acupressure instruction, but recommended that the online modules be customizable to reduce time commitment. Disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic affected course progress and completion rates.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, the IMGV facilitator training program was acceptable, feasible with program modifications under pandemic conditions, and increased staff confidence to teach others nonpharmacologic chronic pain management.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261453089"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13191133/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148019067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pediatric Acupuncture Safety: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Aiko Bailey, Brenda Loew, Rachel Blume, Iman Majd, Dan Cherkin","doi":"10.1177/27536130261453358","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261453358","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous research studies have indicated that acupuncture may be a promising treatment for several pediatric conditions, but the frequency and severity of associated adverse effects remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We conducted a scoping review to identify the most recent evidence on the safety of pediatric acupuncture and to identify priorities for further research.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Using MESH headings, we searched the MEDLINE database for articles published between July 1^st, 2015, and June 30^th, 2025. Articles identified with the search were analyzed using Covidence, a systematic review management system. We included publications with data pertaining to the safety of acupuncture for children. We restricted our search to studies reporting use of the most common type of acupuncture needles (filiform) for patients under age 21. Studies of acupuncture in combination with another intervention were excluded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>330 potentially relevant abstracts were identified, 71 of which appeared to meet our criteria. After full text screening, 14 studies met our inclusion criteria: 5 randomized controlled trials, 3 case reports, 2 cohort studies, 2 feasibility studies, 1 systematic review, and 1 retrospective review. No serious adverse effects were reported in any of the publications reviewed.</p><p><strong>Limitations: </strong>Search limited to MEDLINE and filiform needling.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our scoping review of research published in the past decade failed to identify any reports of serious adverse effects of acupuncture in pediatric populations, confirming the findings of previous reviews. However, studies have failed to capture complete and comprehensive data on the adverse effects of pediatric acupuncture. Future research that rigorously evaluates both the effectiveness and the safety of commonly used acupuncture treatments for specific pediatric conditions will help clinicians and families make more fully informed decisions about the appropriate role of acupuncture in pediatric care.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261453358"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13191135/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148019005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feasibility and Acceptability of Group-Based Interventions (Offered in English and Spanish) for Caregivers of Children With LAD.","authors":"Elyse R Park, Brett M Goshe, Isabelle Miranda, Lucy Finkelstein-Fox, Pam Nourse, Renee Williams, Gabriella Nicolosi, Karen Lopez, Ruth de la Cruz, Esteban Barreto, Rachel A Millstein, Giselle K Perez, Brittain Mahaffey, Carolina Abuelo, Brian Winklosky, Rosalie Rippey, Karen A Kuhlthau","doi":"10.1177/27536130261442880","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261442880","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Caregivers of children with learning and attentional disabilities (LAD) are at risk for chronic stress and its sequalae, yet there are few interventions to support these caregivers.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Assess the feasibility and acceptability of a mind-body resiliency group intervention for caregivers of children with LAD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Four adapted groups of the Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART-LAD) and, its comparator, the Health Education Program (HEP-LAD) were offered to English and Spanish speaking caregivers of children with LAD. Caregivers were recruited from a family services organization who completed baseline and post-treatment surveys.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 12/24-2/25, 28 participants were enrolled in four groups. 94.6% screened were eligible (35/37); 80% (28/35) enrolled. 83% completed the follow-up survey. Two-thirds attended 6 or more sessions. 91.7% of participants in both groups expressed comfort/trust.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Both interventions are feasible and acceptable. The SMART-LAD program may have fostered deeper engagement and content satisfaction.</p><p><strong>Clinicaltrialsgov registry: </strong>Resiliency Programming for Caregivers of Children with Learning and Attentional Difficulties (SPARK), https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06492278, NCT06492278 IRB 2024P001219.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261442880"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13167377/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147943881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of Combined Music and Cryotherapy for Pain Relief During Mediastinal Drain Removal After Myocardial Revascularization: A Randomized Clinical Trial Protocol.","authors":"Thatiane Evelyn de Lima Fernandes, Kauanny Vitória Gurgel Dos Santos, José Joandson de Souza Dos Santos, Myrza Torres Ferreira, Danielle de Oliveira Rocha, Auanna Beatriz Sarmento de Araújo Miranda, Lara Dantas de Rubim Costa, Kátia Regina Barros Ribeiro, Daniele Vieira Dantas, Rodrigo Assis Neves Dantas","doi":"10.1177/27536130261419779","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261419779","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a procedure that requires the use of a mediastinal drain to prevent blood accumulation around the heart. Removal of this device is recognized as a painful experience for the patient. In this context, the adoption of cost-effective, non-pharmacological pain management strategies is essential to reduce adverse effects and minimize opioid exposure. Among these strategies, music-based intervention and cryotherapy emerge as promising interventions, supported by scientific evidence indicating their efficacy in reducing pain and anxiety.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the efficacy of the combined use of music and cryotherapy in alleviating pain during mediastinal drain removal in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization surgery.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>This is a randomized clinical trial, developed in accordance with the SPIRIT and CONSORT guidelines. The primary outcome of the study is the reduction in pain intensity, as measured by the established Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The study will be conducted in the Intensive Care Unit of the Heart Hospital of Natal, involving two groups: the experimental group, which will receive the music-based intervention and cryotherapy, and the control group, which will follow the institution's standard care. The sample will consist of 52 randomly allocated participants, and feasibility will be evaluated through a pilot test with the first five. Eligibility criteria include: age ≥18 years, postoperative hemodynamic stability, a score of 15 on the Glasgow Coma Scale, ability to understand and respond to pain assessment instruments, and the presence of a mediastinal drain scheduled for removal.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study aims to contribute new evidence regarding integrative and complementary health practices, thereby optimizing the comprehensive care delivered to patients post-myocardial revascularization.</p><p><strong>Registration: </strong>This study is registered on the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) platform under the number RBR-2nzh9vr and was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Opinion no. 83976124.0.0000.5537).</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261419779"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13161676/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147935893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"\"The Evidence I Need Is Change in a Child\" Healthcare Provider Perspectives on Acupuncture Therapy for Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): An Interpretive Description.","authors":"Deborah Dong, Sunita Vohra, Hsing Jou, Sandy Thompson-Hodgetts","doi":"10.1177/27536130261448873","DOIUrl":"10.1177/27536130261448873","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>While parents of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (autism) frequently seek complementary medicine to address health and functional concerns commonly experienced by their children, little is known about how conventional healthcare providers view acupuncture.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore healthcare professionals' (1) knowledge and views about acupuncture, including laser acupuncture, and (2) perceived reasons for recommending or not recommending acupuncture for children with autism.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>This interpretive descriptive study involved semi-structured interviews. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit conventional healthcare providers who work with children with autism, including physicians and therapists. Data were coded and analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>13 healthcare providers were interviewed. Four themes were identified: (1) \"Interesting, tell me more\": a lack of familiarity, but interest, in acupuncture for children with autism; (2) \"I think we need to explore all avenues\": openness to integrative practices for a complex condition; (3) \"The evidence I need is change in a child\": both empirical evidence and clinical experience are important to inform clinical decisions; and (4) Practical considerations to recommending acupuncture.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Acupuncture is a modality that many professionals working with children with autism have not considered recommending due to lack of awareness and knowledge. Yet, the attitudes of our participants toward acupuncture as an adjunct therapy were generally positive. They were curious and open about exploring the evidence, and potential to meet gaps not currently met by conventional therapies. Laser acupuncture generated more interest than needle-based acupuncture. There were a number of barriers to recommending acupuncture, including limited knowledge and cost burden to families.</p>","PeriodicalId":73159,"journal":{"name":"Global advances in integrative medicine and health","volume":"15 ","pages":"27536130261448873"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13158499/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147935936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}