Acupuncture effects on the stress level in administrative workers

Abstract

Introduction: Acupuncture has been growing in clinical practice with the aim of reducing the stress. However, there is a lack of studies proving their benefits. Objective: To evaluate the effects of auricular acupuncture on stress levels in administrative workers. Materials and Methods Participated in the study, 58 administrative sector workers of a public hospital. The participants were randomly separated into two groups: control group (n=30) which received no intervention; and the experimental group (n=28), which was applied to auricular acupuncture for eight weeks. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) measured the stress level. Results: The stress level reduced in experimental group of high to moderate. The stress level reduced to 21.0 points to 18.5 points in the experimental group (p=0.001).Conclusion: The implementation of eight weeks of auricular acupuncture showed an effective strategy for reducing stress. Acupuncture is a method that offers a low cost and easy application, being a practical and effective method for stress management in administrative workers.