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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Evelyn Ho, PhD¹, Carla Wilson, MA, L Ac², and Randi Kofsky². (1) Communications Department, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117, 415/422-6061, randi_kofsky@yahoo.com, (2) Complementary and Alternative Medicine Department, Quan Yin Healing Arts Center, 455 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

There are over 100 HIV positive clients who receive free and subsidized acupuncture and massage therapy treatment through an alternative community-based healing center in the city of San Francisco. Many of these clients use acupuncture and massage therapy to treat HIV-related peripheral neuropathy (numbness and pain often beginning in the extremities). Research has found that neuropathy is quite common in HIV patients and can range from mild pain sensations to very severe. Based on anecdotal evidence reported from clients at this clinic, both acupuncture and massage therapy have been helpful for relieving neuropathy sensations and improving quality of life. The purpose of this study is to record patients' experiences with both acupuncture and massage therapy treatments over a 16-week period to measure if and to what extent these treatments affect HIV-related neuropathy symptoms.

The proposed study includes three parts. First, participants will complete an initial focus group interview, individual interview and health status survey to provide baseline health and quality of life measurements. Second, participants will complete 12 treatments (six each of acupuncture and massage therapy) with brief health status questionnaires following each treatment. Third, participants will complete a focus group interview, individual interview, and health status survey.

Subjects may derive direct benefit from these treatments and the study will hopefully inspire other community-based health care agencies treating patients living with HIV-related neuropathy to adjust their services and treatments to include alternatives such as acupuncture and massage therapy, as well as direct public funding to cover such treatments.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the usefulness of indicating Acupuncture and Massage therapy as adjunct treatment for treating the symptoms of HIV-related Neuropathy.
• Discuss how continual treatment with acupuncture and massage therapy increase the overall quality of life for those living with HIV-related neuropathy.
• Develop a care plan to institute access to this type of treatment for people with HIV-related Neurpathy within a community-based setting.

Keywords: Access and Services, Alternative Medicine/Therapies

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered