Department of Economics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Front Public Health. 2024 Sep 25;12:1362751. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1362751. eCollection 2024.
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 older adult. A total of 606 patients aged 14-65 received 5,424 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.
The study findings indicate that ABCHIP's treatment for pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep issues is cost-effective, leading to substantial cost savings and improved quality of life for patients. The program's cost per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) is significantly lower than benchmarks used in other countries, demonstrating high cost-effectiveness and value. Patients receiving 12 treatments experienced significant improvements across all measures, with estimated economic benefits surpassing treatment costs. In summary, ABCHIP offers a cost-effective and economically efficient therapy choice for individuals dealing with pain and mental health issues.
COVID-19 大流行及其经济影响增加了心理健康和疼痛相关问题的风险。针灸与常规医学相结合，有望改善这些疾病的治疗效果。艾伯塔省补充健康整合项目 (ABCHIP) 旨在为患有慢性疼痛、疼痛管理问题、心理健康问题和/或相关疾病的青年（24 岁及以下）和老年人（55 岁及以上）提供针灸治疗。该项目旨在促进整合护理，评估这些疗法的有效性和成本效益，并提供以患者为中心的护理。
ABCHIP 提供针灸治疗，以解决艾伯塔省两个弱势群体的疼痛、心理健康和成瘾问题，不收取任何费用：青年和老年人。共有 606 名 14-65 岁的患者接受了 5424 次针灸治疗。结果衡量标准包括疼痛干扰、疼痛严重程度、睡眠质量、抑郁、焦虑、疲劳、愤怒和生活质量。短期结果通过在治疗开始和结束时完成的问卷进行评估，而长期益处则使用这些结果指标和现有关于疾病经济成本的文献进行估计。
成本效益分析显示，每质量调整生命年 (QALY) 的比率如下：总体样本为 12171 加元，疼痛患者为 10766 加元，抑郁患者为 9331 加元，焦虑患者为 9030 加元。成本效益分析表明，每年的成本节约范围为 1487 至 5255 加元，平均为 3371 加元。
研究结果表明，ABCHIP 治疗疼痛、抑郁、焦虑和睡眠问题具有成本效益，为患者带来了显著的成本节约和生活质量提高。该项目每质量调整生命年 (QALY) 的成本明显低于其他国家使用的基准，表明具有较高的成本效益和价值。接受 12 次治疗的患者在所有指标上均有显著改善，估计的经济效益超过了治疗成本。总的来说，ABCHIP 为处理疼痛和心理健康问题的个人提供了一种具有成本效益和经济效率的治疗选择。
