Presentation summary

Co-Auther :

Tzu-Yuan Kang, M.D.
Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

Pei-Hsuan Li, M.D.
Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

Cheng-Li Lin, M.S.
Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

Hung-Rong Yen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
*hungrongyen@gmail.com

Introduction :
Acupuncture has been increasingly used in pediatric care for various conditions[1-5]. This study explores pediatric acupuncture treatment patterns in Taiwan over the past decade, focusing on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method :
We analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), including patients under18 years from 2012 to 2021. Utilization rates were examined by sex, age, urbanization, and disease type. The Cochran–Armitage trend test compared 2020–2021 (post-COVID) with 2012–2019 (pre-COVID).

Results :
From 2012 to 2020, pediatric acupuncture use declined gradually, with a sharp drop in 2021 (p < 0.001), aligning with the COVID-19 outbreak. Males had higher usage rates. Most users were aged 13–15 years.
Urban children were more likely to receive acupuncture. Injuries were the most common condition treated. Complex acupuncture was frequently used in cases of infantile cerebral palsy and childhood-onset psychoses.

Conclusion :
This nationwide, population-based study presents the latest trends in pediatric acupuncture in Taiwan. Although the overall prevalence of pediatric acupuncture use declined, the demand for acupuncture among young children with major illnesses remained substantial. Moreover, our findings indicate a potential shift in pediatric acupuncture preferences toward non invasive acupoint therapies. These findings provide useful insights for clinical practice, advancing acupuncture research, and health policy development.

Funding :
This study was supported by China Medical University and China Medical University Hospital.