Wang Jiani, Chen Liudan, Wang Zhuangfei, Fang Xiaohong, Zhen Yan
School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2024 May 14;17:1239-1251. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S461149. eCollection 2024.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) holds great potential in promoting healing and relieving pain for herpes zoster (HZ) treatments. Evidence showed that both healthcare professionals' (HCPs) belief and knowledge influence their attitudes, which result in their expression and direct behavior. However, little is known in this area regarding TCM treatments for HZ. This study aimed to understand the HCPs' perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and practices toward TCM and its services for HZ.
During July 2021 and October 2022, a cross-sectional study of HCPs querying demographics, perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and practices toward TCM and TCM services for HZ was conducted. The frequency and percentage or mean and standard deviation were used to present categorical data and continuous data, respectively. A Chi-square analysis compared nurses' and doctors' views on TCM treatments for HZ.
Out of 306 eligible respondents, 66.0% used TCM content in clinical practice less than 40% of the time. Respondents reported that there were three main advantages of TCM for HZ, including better crusting and healing, fewer side effects, and mitigating complications. A total of 41.3% (81/196) of the respondents who had cared for/treated HZ patients applied TCM treatments. The three factors most associated with referrals/providing TCM to patients were postherpetic neuralgia, early erythema or papules, and acute pain. Compared to nurses, doctors showed more endorsement of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of TCM treatments for HZ patients.
The study found that most healthcare professionals in HZ had a favorable view of TCM, but lacked practical experience administering it to patients. Programs should be developed to provide evidence-based TCM treatments and encourage combining TCM with Western medicine for better patient care.
中医在促进带状疱疹（HZ）治疗的愈合和缓解疼痛方面具有巨大潜力。有证据表明，医疗保健专业人员（HCPs）的信念和知识会影响他们的态度，进而导致他们的表达和直接行为。然而，在这一领域，关于中医治疗HZ的情况却知之甚少。本研究旨在了解HCPs对中医及其HZ服务的认知、态度、信念和实践。
在2021年7月至2022年10月期间，对HCPs进行了一项横断面研究，询问他们的人口统计学信息、对中医及其HZ服务的认知、态度、信念和实践。频率和百分比或均值和标准差分别用于呈现分类数据和连续数据。采用卡方分析比较护士和医生对中医治疗HZ的看法。
在306名符合条件的受访者中，66.0%在临床实践中使用中医内容的时间少于40%。受访者报告称，中医治疗HZ有三个主要优点，包括结痂和愈合更好、副作用更少以及减轻并发症。在曾护理/治疗过HZ患者的受访者中，共有41.3%（81/196）应用了中医治疗。与向患者推荐/提供中医最相关的三个因素是带状疱疹后神经痛、早期红斑或丘疹以及急性疼痛。与护士相比，医生对中医治疗HZ患者的疗效和成本效益表现出更多认可。
该研究发现，大多数治疗HZ的医疗保健专业人员对中医持赞许态度，但缺乏对患者使用中医的实践经验。应制定相关项目，提供基于证据的中医治疗方法，并鼓励中西医结合以提供更好的患者护理。
