199250 Promoting mental health with traditional medicine: An evidence-based study on Yan Xin Qigong (YXQ)

Monday, November 9, 2009

Xin Yan, MD , The Institute of Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicinec, c/o New Medical Science Research Institute, New York, NY
Hua Shen , New Medical Science Research Institute, New York, NY
Yuhong Yang, PhD , School of Statistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Hsiaowen C. Huang , Harvard University, Boston, MA
Jianyuan Wang, PhD , Javelin Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Chestnut Hill, MA
Shuyi Hua , Qwest Communications International, Inc, Superior, CO
Saling Huang , KAI Pharmaceuticals, Inc, South San Francisco, CA
Peihua Ni , New England Traditional Chinese Medical & Health Culture Study Institute, Avon, CT
Jun Wang, PhD , New Medical Science Research Institute, New York, NY
Chunling Lu, PhD , Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Introduction: Mental disorders are common to all countries, as they are one of the 10 leading causes of the global burden of disease and growing in proportion. Providing cost-effective methods to promote mental health and prevent mental disorders is in urgent need. Yan Xin Qigong (YXQ) is a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and wellness Qigong. In the 1990s of the last century, agencies of the Chinese government recommended YXQ to the public as a safe and effective Qigong method. The findings of scientific experiments on YXQ published in peer-reviewed literature suggest physiological pathways possibly related to its mechanism of healing.

Purpose: In this study, using survey data collected in North America from 1,155 participants, we investigated the effect of YXQ on promoting mental health and preventing mental disorders at the population level.

Method: The survey of anonymous YXQ practitioners collected self-reported information on their health status (including mental health status), disease condition, and lifestyle before and after practicing YXQ. Practitioners' socio-demographic characteristics and information on learning YXQ were also gathered. A comparison of participants' mental health status before and after practicing YXQ was made with pair-wise t-tests. Regression models were used to investigate the effect of learning YXQ on mental health status.

Results: We found that among the sampled population, participants' mental health status was significantly improved after practicing YXQ. Mental health benefits of YXQ were positively associated with the length of learning time.

Conclusion: Findings are consistent with previous studies on YXQ.

Learning Objectives:
- Describe mental health benefits reported by survey participants - Analyze YXQ’s effect on promoting mental health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I participated research.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Mental Health Poster Session I
See more of: Mental Health