A Proposal for Creating Social Impact of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapy as a Healthcare Resource
- VernacularTitle:A Proposal for Creating Social Impact of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapy as a Healthcare Resource
- Author:
Shogo MIYAZAKI
1
;
Akihito HAGIHARA
2
;
Masaki TSUDA
3
;
Eiji FURUYA
4
Author Information
- Keywords: acupuncture and moxibustion therapy; life expectancy; health resources; social impacts; health communication
- From:Kampo Medicine 2018;69(1):91-99
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
- Abstract: The number of acupuncturists and moxibustion therapists has rapidly increased since around 2000. If they can be regarded as new healthcare resource investments, it is of great significance to evaluate their social impact. Here, we conducted a regional correlation study in different prefectures by using the extension of average life expectancy as an evaluation index. The results revealed an increase in “acupuncturists (human healthcare resources)” and in “facilities for performing acupuncture and moxibustion therapy (physical healthcare resources)” to show a weak but statistically significant positive correlation with the extension of average life expectancy for elderly men. Due to methodological limitations, however, this study cannot confirm a causal relationship between them. The author strongly hopes that public service corporations involved in the provision of acupuncture and moxibustion will henceforth serve as a bridge to allow researchers, acupuncturists, and moxibustion therapists to collaborate and conduct multicenter joint studies, in order to create an even greater social impact of acupuncture and moxibustion.
