SURVEY ON DEFICIENCY CONSTITUTION AND ASSOCIATED LIFESTYLE FACTORS AMONG POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE AT CAN THO UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY
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Abstract
Background: Deficiency constitution is a relatively common form of physical imbalance, particularly among populations undergoing high intellectual pressure and maintaining irregular lifestyle habits. To establish a reliable database for evaluating this condition in a specific professional group, we conducted a survey among postgraduate medical students. Objectives: To survey the prevalence of deficiency constitution among postgraduate students and to evaluate the relationship between the prevalence of deficiency constitution and the lifestyle habits of postgraduate students. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 144 postgraduate students majoring in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of Deficiency constitution was 47.2%, predominantly at a mild level (39.5%). The highest mean symptom scores were observed in the Systemic group (15.8 ± 5.5 points), manifested as fatigue and shortness of breath, followed by the Spleen-Stomach group (14.9 ± 5.3 points), characterized by abdominal bloating and poor appetite. Logistic regression analysis indicated a trend of higher prevalence of deficiency constitution among those with unhealthy lifestyle habits (including irregular dietary habits, low physical activity, and staying up late); however, this difference did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Deficiency constitution assessed by CCMQ reflects suboptimal health status among a proportion of postgraduate students. The findings suggest a potential trend of lifestyle impact on antipathogenic Qi; thus, enhancing it through lifestyle modifications represents a practical preventive strategy.
Keywords
Deficiency constitution, Qi deficiency, Blood deficiency, postgraduate students, lifestyle habits
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