Research Digest
Study Points to Cost-Effectiveness of Naturopathic Care for Low-Back Pain
Researchers who studied treatment alternatives for low-back pain in a group of 70 warehouse workers found that a naturopathic approach incorporating a range of treatment options—acupuncture, exercise and dietary advice, relaxation training, and a back-care booklet—was more cost-effective than the employer’s usual patient education program. Both the workers and the employer benefited from the naturopathic approach, which was associated with better health-related quality of life, less absenteeism, and lower costs for other treatments and pain medication. Overall, naturopathic care resulted in a net savings (reduced "societal cost") of $1,212 per participant.
In this NCCAM-funded study, Patricia Herman, N.D., and colleagues recruited workers ages 18 to 65 who had experienced low-back pain for at least 6 weeks. The workers were randomly assigned to receive naturopathic care or patient education visits over a 3-month period. The 30-minute, onsite visits were conducted semiweekly (naturopathic) or biweekly (patient education).
The researchers conclude that naturopathic care is more cost-effective than a patient education program in treating low-back pain. They also recommend further studies of the economic impact of naturopathic medicine, particularly to address the limitations of their evaluation.
For More Information
- Herman PM, Szczurko O, Cooley K, et al. Cost-effectiveness of naturopathic care for chronic low back pain. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2008;14(2):32–39.
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. An Introduction to Naturopathy. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Web site. Accessed at nccam.nih.gov/health/naturopathy/ on May 7, 2008.
"Research Digest" presents selections from recently published papers based on NCCAM-funded research. For more findings, go to Research Results.
