Andrew Flower, PhD at Complementary Medicine Research Unit
| Email: | flower.power@which.net |
| Phone: | 01273 813352 |
| Job Title: | Acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist and Research Associate |
| Degrees / Qualifications: | MBAcC MRCHM BA Dip Research Methods |
| Biography: | I am a PhD investigating the role of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of endometriosis. I have been in practice since 1992 and have a special interest in the treatment of endometriosis, fertility and providing supportive treatment for people with cancer.
I am a past President of The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine. |
| Teaching Activities: | I teach Chinese herbal medicine at several University level courses in the UK and have lectured on whole systems research and on my current endometriosis research. |
| Research Interests: | Whole systems research-‘real world’ research trying to capture the specific and non-specific effects of treatment through pragmatic clinical trials.
Chinese herbal medicine-designing rigorous trials which allows for the evaluation of naturalistic treatments. Comparing and contrasting quantitative and qualitative measures of treatment outcome. |
| Students: | The first student, Rachel Chen, is focusing her research on the efficacy of acupuncture in alleviating chronic pain. With a passion for pain management, Rachel aims to investigate the mechanisms underlying acupuncture’s therapeutic effects, aiming to provide valuable insights into this ancient practice’s potential for enhancing the well-being of individuals suffering from persistent pain conditions.
The second student, Arthur Stewart, has chosen to explore the use of herbal medicine in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Recognizing the increasing prevalence of anxiety-related conditions and the limitations of conventional treatments, Arthur seeks to identify specific herbal formulations that may offer safe and effective alternatives, ultimately aiming to improve the quality of life for those affected by anxiety disorders. Read Arthur’s post on biohacking. The third student, Sarah Wong, is pursuing research on the integration of mindfulness-based interventions in cancer care. With a compassionate approach towards supporting individuals with cancer, Sarah aims to investigate how mindfulness practices can enhance patients’ well-being, psychological resilience, and coping mechanisms throughout their treatment journeys. Her research aims to shed light on the potential benefits of mindfulness in the context of cancer care and provide evidence-based recommendations for its integration into conventional treatments. Under Andrew Flower’s mentorship, these three promising students are contributing to the ever-growing body of knowledge in complementary medicine. Their dedication and diverse research interests reflect the shared commitment to exploring innovative approaches to healthcare and improving patient outcomes in areas such as pain management, mental health, and supportive cancer care. |
Completed Projects by previous students
Wahidun Nabi. A comparison of written and internet versions of the Wellness Beliefs Scale
Nadiah Hj Jeludin. How people choose alternative medicine practitioners. Paper in preparation.
Nicola Amos . To pay or not to pay: patients’ experiences of acupuncture in the public and private sector. 2007/2008. Paper in preparation.
Victoria Freire. Framework analysis of factors affecting adherence to medicine in CAM users.
Brien S, Bishop FL, Riggs K, Stevenson D, Freire V, Lewith GT. (in press). Integrated Medicine in the Management of Chronic Illness: a Qualitative Study. British Journal of General Practice.
Shipu Zaman. How Acupuncturists treat lower back pain. Paper in preparation.
Graham Lewis. Rate of response and quality of completion of back pain questionnaires in two formats – internet and postal. 2007/2008. Further data collection ongoing.
Bishop FL, Lewis G, Harris S, McKay N, Prentice P, Thiel H, Lewith GT. (2010). A within-subjects trial to test the equivalence of online and paper outcome measures: the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010, 11:113.
Philippa Lee. To pay or not to pay: patients’ experiences of acupuncture in the public and private sector. 2007/2008. Paper in preparation.
Yean Koon Chan. Reviews of CAM use in cancer.
Bishop FL, Prescott P, Chan YK, Saville J, von Elm E, Lewith GT. (2010) Prevalence of complementary medicine use in pediatric cancer: a systematic review. Pediatrics, 125, 768-776.
Bishop FL, Prescott P, Von Elm E, Chan YK, Lewith H, Rae A, Lewith GT. (in press). A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies on the Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use by Prostate Cancer Patients. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases.
David Stevenson. Framework analysis of factors affecting patients’ use and integration of homeopathy and conventional medicine. 2007/2008.
Brien S, Bishop FL, Riggs K, Stevenson D, Freire V, Lewith GT. (in press). Integrated Medicine in the Management of Chronic Illness: a Qualitative Study. British Journal of General Practice.
Emily Howells. A qualitative study investigating the factors which affect whether general practitioners prescribe complementary and alternative medicine on the NHS. 2005/06.
Brien S, Howells E, Leydon G, Lewith G. Why GPs refer patients to complementary medicine via the NHS: A qualitative exploration. Primary Health Care Research and Development. 2008; 9: 205-215
Kirsty Riggs. A qualitative study to observe how chronic patients taking conventional medication adhere to their regime when commencing CAM treatment and to elicit reasons for non-compliance. 2005/06.
Brien S, Bishop FL, Riggs K, Stevenson D, Freire V, Lewith GT. (in press). Integrated Medicine in the Management of Chronic Illness: a Qualitative Study. British Journal of General Practice.
Chiw Yeh Lim. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in self management of minor illness by Chinese students in Southampton. 2005/2006. Paper published.
Overseas Chinese students in the UK: Patterns and correlates of their use of Western and traditional Chinese medicine. Bishop, FL, Lim, CY, Leydon, GM, Lewith, GT. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Volume 15, Issue 1, February 2009, Pages 8-13.
Emma Stevenson. Evaluating expectancy as a covariate of outcome in the treatment of painful conditions with acupuncture. 2005/2006.
Jemma Saville. Systematic literature review of CAM in cancer care. 2005/2006. Bishop FL, Prescott P, Chan YK, Saville J, von Elm E, Lewith GT. (2010) Prevalence of complementary medicine use in pediatric cancer: a systematic review. Pediatrics, 125, 768-776.
Sam Abdollahian. The development of a psychometrically sound questionnaire to adequately record patients’ needling sensation during acupuncture. 2005/2006.
White P, Bishop FL, Lewith GT, Hardy H, Abdollahian S, White A, Park J, Kaptchuk T, & Lewith G (2008). Southampton Needle Sensation Questionnaire: Development and validation of a measure to gauge acupuncture needle sensation. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 14 (4), 373-379.