Epidemiological Study on Body Constitution Classified by Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory

Background: Different people are classified into different physiological constitution types in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory. Two instruments, the Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ) and the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ), have been developed in Taiwan and Mainland China respectively to measure constitution. They were adapted and pilot tested in primary care Chinese patients in Hong Kong, which showed acceptable validity and reliability. These instruments have potential applications for epidemiological studies on body constitution.

Aim and objectives: The aim of this study is to establish the prevalence and epidemiology of body constitution classified by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory in the Chinese population in Hong Kong. It would also determine whether the prevalence of constitution types change with seasons and whether it is associated with socio-demographic factors, place of origin or residence, life style, or quality of life.

Design and subjects: Two cross-sectional telephone surveys of the Hong Kong (HK) general Chinese population, one in Summer and one in Winter, will be carried out. Sample size for each survey is 3200 subjects.

Methods: Residential-telephone-owning households will be contacted through random dialing by the Social Science and Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong using the Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) system that covers 95% households in Hong Kong. A member, aged 18 or above, of the contacted household who last had his/her birthday will be invited to the study to answer either the BCQ or the CCMQ and a structured questionnaire on socio-demographics, place of origin, place of residence, health service utilization, life style and quality of life.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Body Constitution

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 6400

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Hksar
    • Hong Kong, Hksar, China, 852
      • The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Methods: Residential-telephone-owning households will be contacted through random dialing by the Social Science and Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong using the CATI system that covers 95% households in Hong Kong. A member, aged 18 or above, of the contacted household who last had his/her birthday will be invited to the study to answer either the BCQ or the CCMQ and a structured questionnaire on socio-demographics, place of origin, place of residence, health service utilization, life style and quality of life.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Can be contacted by in a residential telephone number
• Age 18 or above
• Chinese who can communicate in Cantonese or Chinese by telephone;
• Has given verbal consent to take part in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cannot communicate in Cantonese or Chinese
• Persons who cannot communicate by telephone;
• Refuse to give consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Healthy subjects in Hong Kong

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Prevalence of constitution types classified by the BCQ or CCMQ	Proportion of different constitution types according to the BCQ or CCMQ questionnaire	Baseline only

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Short Form-12 (SF-12) Health-related quality of life of people with different constitution types	Baseline only
Chinese quality of life (ChQOL) (HK version) Health-related quality of life of people with different constitution types	Baseline only

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Collaborators: The University of Hong Kong; Hospital Authority, Hong Kong
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Wendy Wong, PhD, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 24, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 2, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): November 7, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 9, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 7, 2018
• Last Verified: January 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Validation; Body constitution; Chinese Medicine
• Other Study ID Numbers: HKCTR-1355