Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2006; 11: 07
The aim was to evaluate the characteristics and acupuncture treatment strategies of physicians practicing acupuncture in Germany.
In 2005/2006 we sent standardised questionnaires to 500 physicians, including a random sample of 400 of the more than 10 000 physicians who participated in a German acupuncture project funded by the German social health insurance funds and a random sample of 100 of 200 members of the International Society for Chinese Medicine who offer acupuncture on a private payment basis.
A response rate of 69% (347 physicians: age 58 ± 6.9 years; 63% male) was obtained. A total of 87% participating physicians were certified as medical specialists (mainly GPs 34%, orthopaedists 17% and internists 10%). Twenty-five per cent had 140 h of acupuncture training (A Diploma), whereas 46% had 350 h of training (B Diploma) and 29% had more than 350 h of training or other forms of education. Private physicians were more likely to be female (56 vs. 67%, P < 0.001), to have lower qualifications in conventional medicine (61 vs. 93%, P < 0.001) and to have completed more training in acupuncture (more than 750 h of training: 18 vs. 71%, P < 0.001). The majority of all participants (79%) practiced Chinese acupuncture. Sixty-seven per cent of physicians stated using ear acupuncture frequently. In addition, a variety of other acupuncture methods (e.g. moxibustion) were employed less frequently. Altogether, 35% physicians used a defined combination of acupuncture points. Most physicians (71%) chose acupuncture points on an individual basis.
The analysis provided insight into usual medical practice with acupuncture treatment in Germany.
