Demographic and practice characteristics of practitioners providing acupuncture in the four UK-based organisations (2009) (n=330)
| Questions asked | Physiotherapists (AACP) | Independent (BAcC) | Nurses (BAWMA) | Doctors (BMAS) | Total |
| n=95/200 | n=96/200 | n=50/200 | n=89/200 | n=330/800 (41%) | |
| Female=73% | Female=63% | Female=65% | Female=44% | Female=62% | |
| Median age=41 years | Median age=49.5 years | Median age=53.5 years | Median age=48 years | Median age=48 years | |
| IQR1=31, IQR3=50 | IQR1=42, IQR3=57 | IQR1=49, IQR3=60 | IQR1=42, IQR3=56 | IQR1=39, IQR3=55 | |
| Age range=25–67 years | Age range=24–74 years | Age range=28–71 years | Age range=26–67 years | Age range=24–74 years | |
| Are you a member of a statutorily regulated healthcare profession? Please tick ONE option (n= respondents) | |||||
| Medical doctor | 5 | 3 | 5 | 68 | 81 (25%) |
| Physiotherapist | 89 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 96 (29%) |
| Nurse | 1 | 8 | 42 | 3 | 54 (16%) |
| Other | 0 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 19 (6%) |
| None | 0 | 79 | 1 | 0 | 80 (24%) |
| How long have you been using acupuncture as part of your scope of treatment? Median number of years (first and third IQR) | |||||
| 6 (IQR1=4, IQR3=11) | 11 (IQR1=5, IQR3=19) | 8 (IQR1=5, IQR3=14) | 7 (IQR1=3, IQR3=12) | 8 (IQR1=4, IQR3=14) | |
| In an average week, how many treatments do you give? Median (first and third IQR) | |||||
| 4 (IQR1=2, IQR3=10) | 15 (IQR1=9, IQR3=25) | 5 (IQR1=1, IQR3=12) | 4 (IQR1=2, IQR3=8) | 6 (IQR1=2, IQR3=16) | |
| In which of these settings, do you practice as an acupuncturist? Please tick ALL that apply to you (n=respondents) | |||||
| NHS primary setting | 40 | 8 | 7 | 57 | 112 (34%) |
| NHS secondary setting | 13 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 28 (8%) |
| Independent or private clinic | 62 | 92 | 34 | 36 | 224 (68%) |
| Not for profit or charity | 7 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 41 (12%) |
| Missing | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 (1%) |
| How would you describe the style of acupuncture that you practice? Please tick ALL that apply to you (n = respondents) | |||||
| Five Element | 5 | 51 | 1 | 4 | 61 (18%) |
| Japanese | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 (3%) |
| Traditional Chinese medicine | 36 | 86 | 5 | 9 | 136 (41%) |
| Western medical acupuncture | 86 | 8 | 46 | 80 | 220 (67%) |
| Other | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 (2%) |
| Missing | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 (2%) |
| Do you aim to elicit any of the following responses when you needle? Please tick ALL that apply to you (n = respondents) | |||||
| De qi | 87 | 85 | 14 | 50 | 236 (72%) |
| Twitch | 37 | 18 | 11 | 33 | 99 (30%) |
| Other | 2 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 32 (10%) |
| None | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 21 (7%) |
| Missing | 4 | 3 | 21 | 14 | 42 (13%) |
| Do you use any of the diagnostic techniques to support your diagnosis and/or treatment? Please tick ALL that apply to you (n=respondents) | |||||
| Pulse diagnosis | 5 | 95 | 3 | 2 | 105 (32%) |
| Tongue diagnosis | 9 | 88 | 4 | 3 | 104 (32%) |
| Palpation | 70 | 80 | 12 | 53 | 209 (63%) |
| None | 5 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 29 (9%) |
| Missing | 17 | 1 | 28 | 20 | 66 (20%) |
AACP, Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists; BAcC, British Acupuncture Council; BAWMA, British Academy of Western Medical Acupuncture; BMAS, British Medical Acupuncture Society; NHS, National Health Service.