Epidemiological Investigation On Constitution Of Chinese Medicine In The Adult Female Population Of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)

Background:Hong Kong (HK) females now hold the world record for the greatest life expectancy, as according to the official data "Population and Vital Statistics2011’ announced by the Department of Health, the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the life expectancy at birth for HK females is86.7years, which has steadily increased during the past41years, and the figure is projected to increase to90.8years for females by2041.This is the first time that HK women surpassed Japanese ladies(the life expectancy for Japanese females is85.9years according to a press released by the Japanese Health Department).However, the high population density, rapid working speed, keen social competition, heavy live burden, and small residential spaces of HK, made peoples living there bearing much great survival pressure. How can HK females still live so long? Are their physical conditions really as good as the data shown? Are there any constitutional characteristics among HK female population? In order to further understand the status of the constitution of HK females, we based on the thoughts of "Abidance by individuality and locality", conducted the first survey of Chinese Medicine constitutional type concerning about the HK adult female population.Objective:To investigate the distribution regularity of constitutional types of Chinese medicine in female population living in HK and analyze their characteristics of different social demography population through epidemiological investigation.Method:Face-to-face interviews and the questionnaire type surveys were conducted via convenience sampling.Basic information of adult female population were collected. The standardized Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaires (CCMQ) were used to evaluate the scores of9different basic Constitutional types (i.e.:Gentleness type, Qi-deficiency type, Yang-deficiency type, Yin-deficiency type, Phlegm-wetness type,Wet-heat type, Blood-stasis type, Qi-depression type, Special diathesis type). Discriminant Analysis was applied to judge the individual constitutional type, and the distribution regularity of constitutional types of Chinese medicine in HK adult female population was analyzed. Variables were grouped by social demographic, and x2test was used to compare the differences in each sub-group’s constitution composition.Results:Totally879cases and questionnaires were collected, with the average age of45.80±15.61years. For the adult female population of Hong Kong, Gentleness type accounted for23.9%, eight pathological constitutions accounted for76.1%, the eight pathological constitutions distribution presented in descending orders were:Yang-deficiency type(15.2%)> Blood-stasis type(12.1%)> Qi-depression type(11.1%)> Yin-deficiency type (10.1%)> Qi-deficieney type(9.6%)> Phlegm-wetness type(8.9%)>Wet-heat typ(4.8%)> Special diathesis type (4.3%). The composition ratio of constitutional types were varied in different ages, blood types, marital status and occupation, and the statistical differences were significant (P<0.001).Conclusion:The results reveal an objective fact that the constitution status of HK female population is not such good when compared with their long life expectancy. There are only approximately20%Gentleness type and nearly80%pathological constitution. The former three pathological constitution types are:Yang-deficiency type, Blood-stasis type, and Qi-depression type. Different constitution characteristics are varied in different ages, blood types, marital status, and occupation.