Patient attitudes towards analgesia and their openness to non-pharmacological methods such as acupuncture in the emergency department.

ObjectiveTo investigate patient attitudes to analgesia, opioids and non-pharmacological analgesia, including acupuncture, in the ED. MethodsED patients with pain were surveyed regarding: pain scores, satisfaction, addiction concern, non-pharmacological methods of pain relief and acupuncture. Data were analysed using logistic regression. ResultsOf 196 adult patients, 52.8% were very satisfied' with analgesia. Most patients (84.7%) would accept non-pharmacological methods including acupuncture (68.9%) and 78.6% were not concerned about addiction. Satisfaction was associated with male gender, and adequate analgesia' but not with opioids. ConclusionMost patients were generally satisfied with ED analgesia and were open to non-pharmacologic analgesia including acupuncture.