Acupuncture Research and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups in the United States: A Scoping Review

The purpose of this scoping review is to assess the existing literature on acupuncture and racial and ethnic minorities in the United States and to identify knowledge gaps and future research priorities. The research and practice of acupuncture has grown significantly over the last few decades, which necessitates an examination of whether researchers have successfully represented populations who have been historically overlooked in medical research. Based on the results of analyzing the data of 83 included publications, several gaps in the research have been identified. Future research should focus on rural areas, as well as Southern and Midwestern metropolitan areas. Research should prioritize the underrepresented Pacific Islander, Native American, and multiracial minority populations. Finally, research should focus on examining access and barriers to acupuncture treatment for racial and ethnic minority groups. Based on this scoping review, a systematic review is recommended to allow for a more focused research question and to carry out a complete literature review.