Chinese Auriculotherapy on Stress and Quality of Life in Nursing Professionals: Randomized Clinical Trial

University of Sao Paulo

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Quality of Life; Stress

Treatments: Other: without protocol group; Other: Auriculotherapy (protocol group)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01420835

SISNEP CAAE 0050.0.196.196-11

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to assess stress levels and quality of life in the nursing team of Samaritan Hospital and evaluate the effectiveness of Chinese auriculotherapy used with and without closed protocol on reducing the stress levels and improvement of life quality.

Full description

Based on the positive results achieved in a preliminary study conducted in January and February 2010, entitled "Applicability of auricular needles or seeds for the reduction of stress in nursing professionals" at the University Hospital, emerged from this research project in order to extend the first study, with a more representative sample and with a design that would allow further discussions on the effectiveness of Chinese auricular needles semi-permanent to reduce stress and thereby improving the quality of life of nursing professionals. This clinical trial aims, above all, compare the results of the technique with the use of closed protocol and a group without protocol. The latter, however, shall be based on energy evaluation according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the course of treatment will be performed similarly to the clinical practice commonly performed by traditional practitioners, that is, individually, not necessarily repetitive and whose continuation is achieved depending on the answers to each treatment.

Discussions are justified about protocol and no protocol research in complementary and integrative practices, since the methodologies proposed and accepted by the scientific community does not always seem to be appropriate tools for evaluating therapies like those coming from the East. The transfer of the Western conception of research according to positivist principles are not always consistent with the principles underlying the complementary and alternative therapies, and in particular the practice from China.

Enrollment: 175 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Score by the List of Stress Symptoms (40 to 95 points)

Voluntary participation in the study

Availability of time for submission to the sessions

Exclusion criteria

Pregnancy

Medical license or vacation during the period

If they perform another chinese treatment like a massage, acupuncture, moxibustion etc

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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175 participants in 3 patient groups

Without Protocol Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The chinese auriculotherapy is a intervention used by Chinese Traditional Medicine in order to balance the body energy and to treat several kind of diseases using semi-permanent needles in specific points of the auricular pavilion. Five points will be chosen to treat stress according to the symptoms and Chinese diagnosis.

Treatment:

Other: without protocol group

Auriculotherapy with protocol

Active Comparator group

Description:

Auriculotherapy with stress protocol points. Five points are indicated for stress (Liver yang1, Liver yang2, Shenmen, Brainstem and Kidney).

Treatment:

Other: Auriculotherapy (protocol group)

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

Control Group won't receive any treatment and will be evaluated at the same time and the same way of interventions group