Table 2.
Reported adverse effects, expectations, and satisfaction toward the therapy (N=59).
| Variables | All | Group 1: AAa (n=19) | Group 2: AA + app (n=19) | Group 3: Waitlist control (n=21) | P value | |
| Have you used complementary therapies in the past?b | ||||||
|
|
No | 45 (76%) | 16 | 14 | 15 | .65c |
|
|
Yes | 14 (24%) | 3 | 5 | 6 | —d |
| How much confidence do you have in complementary therapies in general (0-10)b | 6.05 (1.91) | 5.84 (1.89) | 6.05 (2.17) | 6.24 (1.73) | .93e | |
| Perceived usefulness of the treatment being received(0-10)b | 6.53 (1.52) | 6.16 (1.54) | 6.68 (1.34) | 6.71 (1.68) | .37e | |
| What will you expect about the overweight problem after 8 weeks (post intervention)?b | ||||||
|
|
Totally resolve | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .28c |
|
|
Improve greatly | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | — |
|
|
Moderate improvement | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | — |
|
|
Little improvement | 20 | 3 | 10 | 7 | — |
|
|
Same as before | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | — |
| Ear itchinessf | 2 (5%) | 2 | 0 | — | — | |
| Tenderness on acupointsf | ||||||
|
|
Shenmen | 6 (16%) | 2 | 4 | — | — |
|
|
Stomach | 28 (74%) | 14 | 14 | — | — |
|
|
External nose | 7 (18%) | 4 | 3 | — | — |
|
|
Forehead | 13 (34%) | 7 | 6 | — | — |
|
|
Large intestine | 6 (16%) | 5 | 1 | — | — |
|
|
Endocrine | 12 (32%) | 7 | 5 | — | — |
| Change in satiety levelf | ||||||
|
|
Decrease appetite | 23 (62%) | 12 | 10 | — | .20c |
|
|
No change | 12 (32%) | 5 | 7 | — | — |
|
|
Increase appetite | 2 (5%) | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| Compliance on performing pressing on acupointsf | ||||||
|
|
<3 times/day | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | >.99c |
|
|
3 times/day | 21 | 11 | 10 | — | — |
|
|
>3 times/day | 9 | 4 | 5 | — | — |
| Satisfaction toward the overall arrangement (0- 10)f | 8.37 (1.68) | 8.61 (1.85) | 8.12 (1.50) | — | .18e | |
| Satisfaction toward the treatment effect (0-10)f | 5.63 (2.46) | 5.89 (2.25) | 5.35 (2.71) | — | .65e | |
| Usefulness of the information bookletf, mean (SD) | 6.03 (2.53) | 7.00 (2.30) | 5.00 (2.40) | — | .02e | |
| Usefulness of the mobile appf, mean (SD) | — | — | 7.41 (2.53) | — | — | |
| Usefulness of the features in the appf | ||||||
|
|
Reminder | — | — | 15 (88%) | — | — |
|
|
Video script | — | — | 6 (36%) | — | — |
|
|
Contact the researcher | — | — | 4 (24%) | — | — |
|
|
Ear diagram | — | — | 12 (71%) | — | — |
|
|
Ear pressing method demonstration | — | — | 8 (47%) | — | — |
| Will recommend this therapy to othersf | >.99e | |||||
|
|
Definitely will | 10 (29%) | 5 | 5 | — | — |
|
|
Maybe | 24 (69%) | 12 | 12 | — | — |
|
|
No | 1 (3%) | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| Embarrass owing to ear plasterf | ||||||
|
|
No | 33 | 18 | 15 | — | .23e |
|
|
Yes | 2 | 0 | 2 | — | — |
aAA: auricular acupressure.
bEvaluated before the intervention.
cFisher exact test.
dNot applicable.
eMann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis test as appropriate.
fEvaluated after the intervention has been completed.