[in Japanese]

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We have developed a new educational program directed at young people who have never undergone acupuncture therapy. The objective of this program is to provide them with useful information related to acupuncture therapy. We examined whether this program had managed to motivate participants to receive therapy and whether or not it had caused a change in their attitude toward it. Forty-four young people participated in the program. We divided them into two main groups; one whose members knew someone close to them who had received acupuncture therapy, and one whose members did not, in consideration of the images that each might have of therapy. In addition, some members of these were selected at random of receive visual aids, making a total of four groups. In order to investigate the efficacy of the program with regard to each group, we compared the average of each evaluation at before and after the program. All groups showed an increase in scores in all criteria after the implementation of the program. These results indicate that the educational program used in this study was effective.

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Objective : To investigate the utilization of Acupuncture and Moxibustion therapy (AMT) in nursing homes (NH), we gathered information through questionaires.
Method; We sent questionaires to 1, 237 NH that were in 6 prefectures in the Kinki area and 5 prefectures in the Kanto area.
Results : We obtained replies from 321 NH (26%). Sixteen NH (14%) were already utilizing AMT, 9 NH were planning to utilize AMT soon and 79 NH were considering utilizing AMT sometime in future. The results suggest that AMT utilization will increase in 46 NH which are already utilizing it, 22 NH (48%) employed acupuncturist and other nursing homes relied on volunteers or visit. About 1/3 of NH had privaterooms for AMT while the other NH had a rehabilitation room which also serves as an AMT. The cost of AMT was borne directly by patients in 8 NH (7%) while it was free in 29 NH (52%) and paid by public funding or medical insurance in 14 NH (30%). One reason for non-utilization of AMT is the costs for treatment and or personnel. Another reason is that questions remain about the necessity of AMT and its effects on disease. The most apparent of AMT in nursing homes were improvements in activity of daily living (ADL), feeling and expression. On the other hand, the problems of AMT in NH were time limits for treatment, indistinct effects, AMT and cost.
Conclusion : Given these results, we concluded that to promote the utilization AMT in NH, it is necessary to instruct elderly residents as well as medical doctor, nurses and workers in NH, about AMT.

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[in Japanese]

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We have detected Hepatitis B viral DNA on the surface of needles after removing acupuncture needles. Using a polymerase chain reaction we confirmed a band specific for Hepatitis B virus in one out of two patients who are known carriers. Our study indicates that acupuncture needles represent one possible sources of viral infection.

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