Cooperation Request

For the International Survey on Integrative Medicine

Integrative Medicine Japan

International Committee

Recently, diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and depression are on the rise in the entire world. Development of more effective treatments and a system of medicine and healthcare which promotes a society of healthy aging is strongly needed and in demand.

Integrative medicine is recently receiving attention from the public. There are differences and commonalities in each nation with regards to the ideals of medicine and their healthcare systems because the circumstances of healthcare, culture and customs are different in each country.

We have decided to conduct an international survey about integrative medicine in order to think about the common framework of the medical healthcare system beyond the differences of various nations. A system of medicine and healthcare that enables healthy aging based on the concept of integrative medicine is very important for our future and therefore, creation of such framework would be a great contribution for our future society.

We hope that you will cooperate with this survey with this understanding.

This survey is conducted by the International Committee of Integrative Medicine Japan with the cooperation of Legislators Alliance on Promoting Integrative Medicine. It is composed by the legislators of the Liberal Democratic Party which is the present ruling party of the Japanese Government.

◇ Who can participate in this survey?

People who understand the meaning of this survey, who are over 30 years old and have lived in a specific country for more than 10 years may answer the questions on his/her own.

◇ Contents of the Survey

By following the directions of the person in charge, we want you to answer the questions on a computer. The time expected to answer the questions is about 30 minutes.

◇No Charge for Taking Survey

There is no charge to you for taking the survey. We appreciate your

participation.

◇ Please read the following statement carefully before you participate in the survey.

•This is a preliminary survey that is being taken prior to the full scale survey which will be conducted later. We want to conduct this survey in about 20 countries with approximately 50 to 100 people participating who have lived in their country for 10 years or more.

•ALL INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL. We are planning to publicize the data obtained through the survey in professional publications but please be assured that we will not publicize your personal data with it.

•Also, please understand that neither benefit nor loss of benefit shall emerge by participating in this survey. Even if you choose not to participate in the survey, it won’t create a loss of benefit to you.

•Even after you participate in the survey, if you want, we will destroy your data at that point. Please inform the person in charge.

By understanding the above-mentioned statement, if you will cooperate with us, please sign the following consent form.

Consent Form
By understanding that my personal data that was disclosed by participating in this International Survey on Integrative Medicine will be protected and will not cause any lack of benefit to me, I will participate in this survey.
I also confirm that this consent can be revoked anytime from my side and no lack of benefit would emerge from such action.
Date: ______/______/______
Address：
Name:
Signature ______

※If you have questions, please contact the following:

Representative: Kiyoshi Suzuki, M.D., Chair, International Committee, IMJ

Cooperative Researcher：Seiya Uchida, Ph.D.

Senior Researcher, MOA Health Science Foundation

E-mail:

International Survey on Integrative Medicine

１.Question about yourself （Required）

①Date you answered this survey：

② Country： , City：

③ Age：

④ Gender：MaleFemale

⑤Occupation：Medical Doctor Other Medical Professionals

Politician Educator

Others ( )

⑥Work Place：Governmental OfficeLegislator's Office

Medical InstituteCorporation

Others( )

２.Let me ask your impression about Integrative Medicine

①Have you heard about Integrative Medicine？ (Choose one answer)

  1. Yes, I heard about it frequently.
  2. Yes, but sometimes.
  3. I scarcely heard about it.
  4. 4.This is the first time I heard about it.

② Do you know what is Integrative Medicine？(Choose one answer)

  1. Yes, I know it very well.
  2. I understand it more or less.
  3. There are things I don't understand.
  4. 4. I don't have much idea.

③ Which of the following is closest to your image of Integrative Medicine? (Choose one answer)

  1. To use therapies other than the Western Medicine.
  2. To combine Western Medicine with other treatment methods (Complimentary and Alternative Medicine)
  3. It is a medical practice to combine whatever treatments effective for the patients. Therefore, what you combine is not the point.
  4. In addition to the concept described in 3., it also includes prevention and health promotion in addition to the treatments. It supports the improvement of lifestyle and one's joy of life.
  5. In addition to the concept described in 4., it also includes efforts of creating environment and healthy communities in order to realize a society of healthy aging.
  6. I am not sure.
  7. 7. Others (Please describe it in detail.)：

④ How do you think the government and the medical professionals of the country you live understand Integrative Medicine? (Choose one answer)

  1. To use therapies other than the Western Medicine.
  2. To combine Western Medicine with other treatment methods (Complimentary and Alternative Medicine)
  3. It is a medical practice to combine whatever treatments effective for the patients. Therefore, what you combine is not the point.
  4. In addition to the concept described in 3., it also includes prevention and health promotion in addition to the treatments. It supports the improvement of lifestyle and one's joy of life.
  5. In addition to the concept described in 4., it also includes efforts of creating environment and healthy communities in order to realize a society of healthy aging.
  6. I am not sure.
  7. 7. Others (Please describe it in detail.)：

⑤ Do you think that we should promote Integrative Medicine?(Choose one answer)

  1. Yes, definitely.
  2. Yes, but it depends on what we can actually do.
  3. No, we should not promote Integrative Medicine.
  4. I am not sure.
  5. Others (Please describe it in detail.)：

３.Let me ask you about the concept of Integrative Medicine that is being discussed in Japan.

① How do you think by reading the following statements?（Required）

Integrative Medicine is a concept of medicine whose main goals are the following 4 points.
1. Work toward the prevention and health promotion.
2. By respecting the desire of the patients, provide treatments that are more effective and less expensive. (It includes hospice care.)
3. Support the improvement of one's lifestyle.
4. Support the enhancement of QOL (Quality of Life) and the joy of life.
Integrative Medicine has both "Medical Model" and "Social Model."
"Medical Model" is a medicine to incorporate not only Western Medicine but any methods which fit the patient so that the effectiveness of treatment and the patient's QOL will be enhanced.
"Social Model" is a method for the community to play a leadership in enhancing each other's QOL by utilizing various knowledges.
"Medical Model" and "Social Model" should work hand in hand to balance the medical expense to an appropriate level and work toward a society of healthy aging. At the same time, it is to create a sustainable mutual-help communities that support such goal.
  1. It is close to my image of future medicine.
  2. There are both aspects that are close to my image and different from my image of future medicine.
  3. They are quite different from my image of future medicine.
  4. 4. I don't know.

② Please share with us your thoughts on the concept of Integrative Medicine which was described in ①. （Optional）

４.Let me ask you the condition of healthcare in your country

① In the country you live now, what are the therapeutic methods often combined in the treatments other than the Western Medicine? (Choose as many as you want) They are combined so that the effectiveness of treatments and the QOL would be enhanced.

Traditional Medicine

・Chinese Medicine

・Ayurveda

・Other Traditional Medicine

Therapies which uses various materials.

・Various Diet Method

・Herbs, Natural Medicine

・Vitamins, Minerals

・Homeopathy

Therapies that utilize various manipulations.

・Acupuncture, Moxa cautery

・Massage

・Chiropractic

Psychosomatic therapies

・Yoga

・Meditation

・Art Therapy

Energy Healing

・Therapy using energies including electricity, magnet field, heat, etc.

・Biofield energy therapy

Others (Please describe them in detail)

② What are the traditional medicine(s) of the country you live now?(Optional)

③ What does the government do as its policy to protect and foster the traditional medicine of the country you live now?(Optional)

④ Does the country you live promote community enrichment actively in order to realize a society of healthy aging? (Choose one answer)

1.Yes and they are producing good results.

2. Yes, but we don't kow their effects yet.

3. Ye, but they are not producing good results.

4. It is in the stage of putting it into execution.

5. It is scarcely discussed.

6. I don't know.

⑤ How is the traditional culture and customs of the country you live being utilized in the healthcare and creation of healthy communities?(Optional)

５、Let me ask you about Spiritual Care

① People talk about the importance of spiritual care for those who lost sight of the meaning of their lives due to various reasons. In the country you live, do they incorporate spiritual care in medicine?(Choose one answer)

1. Yes, they incorporate it extensively and producing good results.

2. Some medical institutions incorporate spiritual care.

3. Though they think it is important but it is scarcely incorporated.

4. It is not regarded important.

5. I don't know.

② Spiritual care often relates to religion. Do you think that spirituality and religion is important in the treatment of disease? (Choose one answer)

1. Yes, I think it is important.

2. I think it is important to certain degree.

3. There are cases when it is important.

4. I don't think it is important.

5. I don't know.

③ Please share your thoughts about spiritual care. (Optional)

④ From your viewpoint, what are the challenges in incorporating traditional medicine and the spiritual/mental aspect of religions into modern medicine?(Optional)

6、Let me ask you about the education of Integrative Medicine

① In the country you are now living, how does the education of Integrative Medicine conducted at colleges and hospitals? (Choose one answer)

1.Education of IM is already extensively conducted at colleges and hospitals.

2. There are colleges and hospitals where they teach IM, but they are not many.

3.There are some colleges and hospitals where they teach IM.

4. There are no colleges and hospitals where they teach IM.

5. I don't know.

② Please share your thoughts about the education of Integrative Medicine. (Optional)

７、Finally, if you have opinions about the Integrative Medicine in general, please share it with us. (Optional)

Thank you very much