title: A longitudinal study about the effect of practicing Yan Xin Qigong on medical care cost with medical claims data.
abstract: We use 7-year longitudinal medical claims data and statistical models to study the relationship between practicing Yan Xin Qigong (YXQG), a traditional advanced Chinese Qigong that has been integrated with modern science and technology, and practitioners' medical care utilization and the associated costs. We find that for the sampled practitioners, their average monthly medical visits and the associated costs are significantly lower after practicing YXQG. After controlling for other factors, the longer of practicing YXQG, the more likely there was a fall in average medical visits and medical costs. The main findings are robust to various estimation methods.
authors.affiliation: New Medical Science Research Institute, New York, NY 10107, USA ; Chongqing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: New Medical Science Research Institute, New York, NY 10107, USA.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Vancouver Yan Xin Life Science & Technology Center, Vancouver, B. C. V6J 1Y1, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.affiliation: Vancouver Yan Xin Life Science & Technology Center, Vancouver, B. C. V6J 1Y1, Canada.
authors.forename: Jianzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: School of Statistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Yuhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Chunling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
keywords: Yan Xin Qigong; economic impact; medical care cost; medical care utilization