Blinding and allocation concealment
INTERACTIONS, EYE
Investigators and research staffs who performed screening, assessments, and data entry/re-entry/analysis were blinded to group allocation. Participants were informed that they would have same chance of allocating to either group and would be blinded to allocation. Treatment was delivered individually in a separate room to avoid communications among participants about treatment experience. Eye mask was used to block participant’s vision during treatment so that she was unaware of acupuncture procedure. Acupuncturists were instructed not to acquire participants’ information except group allocation. Interactions between acupuncturists and participants were kept to a minimum to avoid accidental disclosure of group allocation.