Situation of integrative medicine in China: Results from a national survey in 2004

Abstract

Integrative medicine (IM), usually called integrated traditional and Western medicine in China, which came into being in the 1950s as a new form of medicine, although is now developing quickly, little is known about its status and existing problems. So a national survey in China was conducted through questionnaire in 2004 by Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine with the support of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM). The results show that, of all the medical professionals investigated in this survey, 91.21% and 93.52% respondents respectively favored IM as the best diagnostic and therapeutic method. Of all the patients who once went through TCM, Western medicine (WM) and IM therapies, 68.85%, 65.45% and 71.2% respondents respectively most appreciated IM, IM hospitals and IM therapeutic treatments. Most of the 6 595 respondents held that the optimal scientific research strategy in TCM should be integrating modern medical research method (n = 2 380) or modern scientific method (n = 2 920). However, many hospitals exposed the problems in the aspects of governmental supports and funding supports, human resources, and domestic or international academic activities. These results indicated that IM is the patients’ social needs and doctors’ aspiration in China. For further development of IM, the enhancement of scientific research construction and assistance by policies and finance from the government and other institutions are urgently needed in China.