Table 1.
Characteristics of the participants.
| Clinical issue investigation |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Round 1, n (% of 74 acupuncturists) | Round 2, n (% of 70 acupuncturists) | Expert consensus vote n (% of 30 experts) |
| Female | 46 (62.16) | 43 (61.43) | 11 (36.67) |
| Highest education background | |||
| Bachelor’s degree | 7 (9.46) | 7 (10) | 2 (6.67) |
| Master’s degree | 22 (29.73) | 20 (28.57) | 7 (23.33) |
| Doctor’s degree | 45 (60.81) | 43 (61.43) | 21 (70) |
| Professional title | |||
| Intermediate title | 20 (27.03) | 17 (24.29) | 0 (0) |
| Deputy senior title | 25 (33.78) | 24 (34.29) | 2 (6.67) |
| Senior title | 29 (39.19) | 29 (41.43) | 28 (93.33) |
| Acupuncture practical experience (years) | |||
| 3-10 | 23 (31.08) | 19 (27.14) | 0 (0) |
| 11-20 | 37 (50) | 37 (52.86) | 9 (30) |
| 21-30 | 10 (13.51) | 10 (14.29) | 9 (30) |
| > 30 | 4 (5.41) | 4 (5.71) | 12 (40) |
| Geographical distribution | |||
| East China | 24 (32.43) | 24 (34.29) | 9 (30) |
| North China | 21 (28.38) | 19 (27.14) | 10 (33.3) |
| South China | 4 (5.41) | 4 (5.71) | 1 (3.3) |
| Central China | 5 (6.76) | 5 (7.14) | 4 (13.3) |
| Northeast China | 12 (16.22) | 10 (14.29) | 3 (10) |
| Southwest China | 5 (6.76) | 5 (7.14) | 3 (10) |
| Northwest China | 3 (4.05) | 3 (4.29) | 0 (0) |