Factors associated with willingness to receive acupuncture in patients with major traumatic injuries: A qualitative study

Introduction: Patients with major traumatic injuries experience chronic pain, diminished daily and social functions, and impaired quality of life. Acupuncture is regularly used for managing chronic pain and long-term disabilities in South Korea. However, little information is available on its use by patients after major traumatic injuries. This study aims to explore how patients' willingness to receive acupuncture is formulated after major traumatic injuries. Methods: Between August 2021 and August 2022, ten patients who received acupuncture after major traumatic injuries (multiple rib fractures or spinal cord injuries) in South Korea were purposively sampled for one-to-one semi-structured on-site or remote interviews by a trained interviewer. Verbatim transcriptions of the interviews were analysed, comprising open, axial, and selective coding, according to grounded theory. Results: Sixteen codes, six subthemes, and two themes were generated through open coding. The two themes were "personal" and "environmental". Regarding the personal factor, "desperation to recover" was the patients' primary motivation for considering acupuncture treatment for their condition. "Treatment experiences", "being informed of acupuncture" and "Western medicine physicians' attitudes" also influenced patients' decisions to receive acupuncture. Environmental factors, including the accessibility of medical centres and availability of medical resources, were associated with the willingness to receive acupuncture, depending on the individual context. In selective coding, patients' behaviour toward acupuncture treatments was categorised into three types: "quick decision", "weighing" and "sweet-after-bitter taste". Conclusions: Personal and environmental factors contributed to the willingness to receive acupuncture after major traumatic injuries in South Korea. Further studies in different settings or with patients with other types of injuries are warranted to validate our findings.