Acupuncture Is Underutilized in Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Acupuncture is a complementary and alternative medical modality. A considerable body of acupuncture research has accumulated since 1998. Acupuncture has been integrated into palliative care settings in the United Kingdom but is yet to be widely offered in the United States. The literature was search...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of hospice & palliative medicine 2008-08, Vol.25 (4), p.298-308
Main Authors: Standish, Leanna J., Kozak, Leila, Congdon, Sean
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acupuncture Therapy - economics
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Hospice Care
Humans
Insurance, Health, Reimbursement
Nursing
Palliative Care
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Safety
United States
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Summary:Acupuncture is a complementary and alternative medical modality. A considerable body of acupuncture research has accumulated since 1998. Acupuncture has been integrated into palliative care settings in the United Kingdom but is yet to be widely offered in the United States. The literature was searched to identify clinical trials involving acupuncture, palliative care, hospice, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bone marrow, and cancer. Twenty-seven randomized controlled clinical trials of acupuncture were found that reported on conditions common to the hospice and palliative care setting, including dyspnea, nausea and vomiting, pain, and xerostomia, and 23 reported statistically significant results favoring acupuncture use for the conditions investigated. Acupuncture is safe and clinically cost-effective for management of common symptoms in palliative care and hospice patients. Acupuncture has potential as adjunctive care in palliative and end-of-life care, and the evidence warrants its inclusion in reimbursed palliative and end-of-life care in the United States.
ISSN:1049-9091
1938-2715
DOI:10.1177/1049909108315916