• Agnes Tiwari, Lixing Lao, Amy Xiao-Min Wang, Cheung Denise Shuk Ting DS http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7229-9759 School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 4/F, , So Mike Ka Pui MK Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowlo, Yu Doris Sau Fung DS The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 6/F, Esther Lee Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., H, Lum Terry Yat Sang TY Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Room 534, Jockey Club Tower, The Centennial Campus, The University, Yuk Fung Helina Yin King HY HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre, No.22, Wo Yi Hop Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories, Hong Kong., Jerry Wing Fai Yeung, and Zhang-Jin Zhang.
• School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
• Bmc Complem Altern M. 2016 Oct 28; 16 (1): 424.

BackgroundCaregiving can be stressful, potentially creating physical and psychological strain. Substantial evidence has shown that family caregivers suffer from significant health problems arising from the demands of caregiving. Although there are programs supporting caregivers, there is little evidence regarding their effectiveness. Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing method designed to restore the flow of Qi (vital energy) by applying external pressure to acupoints. A randomized, wait-list controlled trial was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-administered acupressure intervention on caregiver stress (primary objective) and stress-related symptoms of fatigue, insomnia, depression, and health-related quality of life (secondary objectives) in Chinese caregivers of older family members.MethodsTwo hundred Chinese participants, aged ≥ 21 years, who are the primary caregivers of an older family member and screen positive for caregiver stress and symptoms of fatigue/insomnia/depression will be recruited from a community setting in Hong Kong. Subjects will be randomized to receive either an immediate treatment condition (self-administered acupressure intervention) or a wait-list control condition. The self-administered acupressure intervention will include (i) an individual learning and practice session twice a week for 2 weeks, (ii) a home follow-up visit once a week for 2 weeks, and (iii) 15-min self-practice twice a day for 6 weeks. The wait-list control group will receive the same acupressure training after the intervention group has completed the intervention. We hypothesize that Chinese family caregivers in the intervention group will have lower levels of caregiver stress, fatigue, insomnia, depression, and higher health-related quality of life after completion of the intervention than participants in the wait-list control group.DiscussionThis study will provide evidence for the effectiveness of self-administered acupressure in reducing stress and improving symptoms of fatigue, insomnia, depression, and health-related quality of life in Chinese family caregivers. The findings will inform the design of interventions to relieve negative health effects of caregiving. Furthermore, the results can raise community awareness and serve as a basis for policymaking, planning, and allocation of resources regarding empowerment of family caregivers for self-care.Trial RegistrationCurrent Controlled Trials NCT02526446 . Registered August 10, 2015.

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