• Overview
  • Forms of Treatment
  • Prevalence and Use in the U.S.
  • Costs and Coverage
  • Licensure and Credentials
  • Transmission of Chinese Medical Thought
  • East Asian Medical Theory and Diagnosis
• Interventions
  • Acupuncture
  • Chinese Herbal Medicine
  • Meditative Exercises
• Conditions
  • Acupuncture and Smoking Cessation
  • Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hypertension
  • Tai Chi and Cardiovascular Health

Prevalence and Use in the U.S.

East Asian Medicine (EAM) is one of the most promising and fastest growing CAM modalities in the US. Responding to consumer demand, the number of licensed acupuncturists in the US--many who also administer Chinese herbs—has tripled between 1992 and 2000, and is expected to quadruple again by 2015. [1] More than 60 colleges throughout North America graduate a total of 1000 new acupuncturists each year.

A recent survey commissioned by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine suggests nearly 1 out of 10 adults in the US have tried acupuncture. [2] EAM practitioners are also increasingly becoming integrated into biomedical settings such as hospitals, community health centers, extended care facilities, and drug detoxification clinics. [3] Managed care and insurance companies are beginning to decide if, and for what conditions, EAM treatments should be reimbursed.

Consumers appear to be attracted to EAM for a variety of reasons, including its emphasis on treating the whole person, such as psychosocial aspects; emphasis on wellness and prevention; belief in, and attempt to stimulate, the inherent healing potential of the body; patient-centered care; alleged ability to effectively treat certain disorders with few side effects; and its basis in an alternative philosophical belief system. [4], [5]

In a systematic survey of 575 patients who used EAM at 6 large clinics across the US, Cassidy [6] characterized both patients' motivations for using EAM and their experiences with EAM. Typical EAM users were middle-aged, well-educated, employed, mid-income patients, similar to demographic profiles of CAM users in general. [7] The three top reasons subjects in this study sought EAM were to treat musculoskeletal pain, overall well being, and mood. The study also reported 35% used Chinese herbs in addition to acupuncture. Over 91% of surveyed subjects reported that EAM treatments resulted in symptoms disappearing or improving, with parallel changes in quality of life. They also reported marked decreases in numbers of visits to medical doctors, use of prescription drugs, and surgical procedures.

While Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) has become a multibillion-dollar industry with large markets in the West, [8] less is known about it patterns of use in the US. Two surveys conducted amongst Chinese immigrant communities in US and Canada suggest use of CHM is as high as 28%, and commonly used for treating diabetes, infection, respiratory problems, and joint problems. [9], [10] Similarly, other EAM-related practices such as Tai Chi, meditation and massage are also becoming more widely used by consumers, but few systematic attempts have been made to characterize what populations are using these practices and for what medical and/or lifestyle reasons. Further research on the sociodemographic patterns of EAM usage is needed to better inform the research and public health community as to what studies are most pressing/logical to pursue and how to best allocate resources aimed at improving the integration of EAM into the future of health care.