AUTHOR=Lu Mingshan , Sharmin Sumaiya , Tao Yong , Xia Xin , Yang Gongliang , Cong Yingying , Yang Guanhu , Razavilar Negar , Aziz Riffat , Jiang Jing , Xiao Yun , Peng Laura , Xu Bentong 

TITLE=Economic evaluation of acupuncture in treating patients with pain and mental health concerns: the results of the Alberta Complementary Health Integration Project

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1362751

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1362751

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact have heightened the risk of mental health and pain-related issues. The integration of acupuncture with conventional medicine shows promise in improving treatment outcomes for these conditions. The Alberta Complementary Health Integration Project (ABCHIP) aimed to provide acupuncture to youth (aged 24 and under) and seniors (aged 55 and above) experiencing chronic pain, pain management issues, mental health issues, and/or related conditions. The program aimed to promote integrative care, assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these therapies, and deliver patient-centered care.ABCHIP provided acupuncture to address pain, mental health, and addiction issues at no cost to two vulnerable populations in Alberta: youth and the elderly. A total of 606 patients aged 14-65 received 5424 acupuncture treatments. Outcome measures included pain interference, pain severity, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, fatigue, anger, and quality of life. Short-term outcomes were assessed through questionnaires completed at the beginning and completion of the treatments, while long-term benefits were estimated using these outcome indicators and existing literature on the economic cost of illnesses.The cost-effectiveness analysis revealed the following ratios per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY): CND12,171 for the overall sample, CND10,766 for patients with pain, CND9,331 for individuals with depression, and CND9,030 for those with anxiety. The cost-benefit analysis demonstrated annual cost savings ranging from CND1,487 to CND5,255, with an average of CND3,371.