title: An observational study on the costs and consequences of acupuncture for the management of chronic low back pain in Korean patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the consequences and costs of acupuncture in general medical practice for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentre observational study was performed. Outpatients with CLBP who received at least one acupuncture session in a Korean Medicine clinic during the study period were included and followed up for 3 months. All patients received regular acupuncture treatments in accordance with the doctors' discretion. The consequences in terms of effects included condition-specific outcomes and preference-based outcome. For cost analysis, the cumulative resource use for direct medical costs at each research clinic during the study period and direct patient data using the self-reported healthcare utilisation questionnaires were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 157 patients were eligible to participate and 105 were finally included. Significant improvements in condition-specific and preference-based measures were observed after acupuncture treatment. An average of approximately $146 (£93) per patient was reported for direct medical costs in each clinic for 1 month and $231 (£148) for 3 months. Other medical expenses related to CLBP were reduced during this period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of acupuncture to manage CLBP in general clinical practice in Korea inexpensively improved pain, functional disability and quality of life. The study results are meaningful and consistent with the results of previous trials performed in other European countries but the power of the study is not strong, having major design weaknesses. A large-scale cohort or registry based on practice may be helpful to strengthen the evidence of the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture.
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center (AMSRC), College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Song-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center (AMSRC), College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyejung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center (AMSRC), College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyangsook
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center (AMSRC), College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Yeun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Meridian and Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Sang Ji University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Kyun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center (AMSRC), College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Carolina Asia Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Hi-Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000191:economics*; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D056910:Republic of Korea; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ACUPUNCTURE; HEALTH ECONOMICS; PAIN MANAGEMENT; PRIMARY CARE