ArticleEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2022
Strengthening of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Health System Reform: Effect on Health Outcomes and Financial Protection.
Article in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Financial strain, digital health reliance, and medical preferences: a multi-dimensional analysis of Chinese residents.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors of human resources for health in traditional Chinese medicine in China.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Similar but Different Three Major Traditional Medicines in East Asia: A Bibliometric Analysis.Chinese journal of integrative medicine · 2025Article
- The impact of Traditional Chinese Medicine utilization on life expectancy and mortality.PloS one · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe challenges of modern medicine in addressing chronic diseases necessitate a shift of attention towards traditional medicine (TM) and other supplementary care systems. China has prioritized the strengthening of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the health system reform since 2009. This study sought to assess the effects of the reform on TCM and the resultant effect of a strengthened TCM on health outcomes and financial protection.
methodsLongitudinal data were obtained from the China Statistical Yearbook, China Health Statistical Yearbook, China Population Statistical Yearbook, and Statistical Extract of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 31 provinces of mainland China between 2002 and 2016. Dependent variables included health outcomes measured by age-standardized excess mortality and life expectancy at birth and financial protection measured by the proportion of health expenses in total consumption expenses. The independent variables consisted of the number and proportion of TCM physicians. The fixed effects (FEs) models were established to identify the effect of the independent variables on outcomes.
resultsFrom 2009 to 2016, the number and proportion of TCM physicians increased from 22 to 36 physicians per 100,000 population and from <12% to >15%, respectively. The changes were more rapid and higher than that in the period before the reform. An increase of 1 TCM physician per 100,000 population was associated with a decrease of 1.944 excess deaths, a 5.84-day increase in male life expectancy, and a decrease of 0.051% of health expenses among both urban and rural residents. An increase in proportion of 1% of TCM physicians was associated with a decrease of 5.097 excess deaths, a 17.52-day increase of life expectancy (both genders), an increase of 21.535-day in life expectancy (males) per 100,000 population, and a decrease of 0.082% of health expenses among rural residents.
conclusionDuring China's health system reform, the increased physician number has strengthened TCM. Higher TCM physician supply was associated with improved health outcomes and financial protection, which implies that the reform may have important implications on health system performance in China.
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.