HEALTH SERVICE RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in
Salons 10-12.
FRIDAY, 10:15-11:00 AM
Moritz S, Quan H, Liu MF, Rickhi B, Li B, Xu TJ, Paccagnan
P.
Acupuncture for low back pain and health services utilization.
Canadian Institute of Natural and Integrative
Medicine s.moritz@cinim.org
PURPOSE: 1) To describe mainstream health services
utilization in patients who received acupuncture for low back pain (LBP)
for one year pre and post acupuncture; 2) To assess whether patients
who undergo acupuncture differ in their health service utilization from
the general population with LBP.
METHODS: We reviewed patient charts at acupuncture
clinics to identify patients who received acupuncture for LBP in 2000
in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The general population with LBP in Calgary
was defined using Alberta physician claims administrative data. Acupuncture
group cases were matched with four control group cases based on gender
and age. Number of physician visits and physician cost for LBP related
services for one year pre and post the acupuncture treatment period
were calculated from the physician claims data for the two study groups.
RESULTS: The number of claims and money spent
on LBP decreased in the year after acupuncture. Acupuncture patients
made fewer visits to physicians and less money was spent on LBP related
services compared to the general population with LBP.
| |
Number of Physician Visits for LBP (Mean) |
Physician Cost for LBP
(Mean, Can $) |
| Acupuncture Patients with LBP (N=201) |
1 year pre acupuncture: 388 |
5,113 |
| 1 year post acupuncture: 190 |
3,210 |
| Difference: 198 (-49%) |
1,903 (-37.2%) |
| General Population with LBP (N=804) |
1 year pre treatment period: 4,617 |
59,456 |
| 1 year post treatment period: 4,504 |
58,992 |
| Difference: 113 (-2.4%) |
464 (-0.8%) |
CONCLUSION: Results suggest that LBP patients are
less likely to visit physicians for LBP after acupuncture treatment.
This leads to reduced health services spending on LBP.
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