Taiwan Health Groups In Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Epidemiological Study

Purpose:This study intends to describe and investigate the syndromes of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and health status of the subhealth population in Taiwan. The pattern of TCM signs and symptoms as well as TCM syndrome differentiation will provide theoretical and practical framework for clinical usage. This will further offer principle basis for the establishment of TCM or integrative therapeutic plans for the corresponding syndromes. Method:Transect study was used to investigate the demography, physical constitution, common TCM symptoms, and tongue and pulse patterns of the Taiwanese population. The population's subhealth conditions were estimated using the "TCM Clinical Heath Guide". The gender, age, profession, general condition, and TCM symptoms were described using statistical methods such as descriptive, andχ2 analysis etc. Data were analyzed using Epidata3.02 questionnaire, and SPSS15.0. Of the 350 people investigated,330 were found to be under subhealth condition. Within the subhealth population,70.6% were male, and the male to female ratio was 2.4:1. The majority of the subhealth population seeks health intervention through TCM, exercise, and routine physical checkup instead of psychological consultation, and taking western medicine. There were partial differences between male and female subhealth symptoms. General fatigue, bowel discomfort, and slow reaction time were more common in the female population, lack of concentration was more common in the male population (p＜0.05). This showed that the subhealth condition was more closely related to the TCM concept of spleen and liver. The subhealth population was divided into 6 TCM syndromes using discriminant and cluster analysis. Using TCM methodology, the level of involvement of the internal organs was as follows:liver and spleen (62%), stomach (22.4%), lung (11.2%), heart (6.2%), and kidney (6.1%). The compliance for the discriminant and cluster analysis scored 100% and 96.7% respectively. Conclusion:The majority of the Taiwanese population can be characterized under subhealth conditions. The syndromes of the subhealth condition were more closely related to the TCM concept of the liver and spleen. Treating the TCM syndromes can be a form of preventative measures in the treatment of subhealth conditions.