Page 72 - JCBP-1-2

Journal of Clinical and

Basic Psychosomatics

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The development and practice of psychosomatic

digestive medicine: An innovative and successful
treatment model in China

Zhili Zou, Xiaobo Zhou, and Bo Zhou*

Department of Psychosomatic Digestive Medicine, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and
Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, China

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) are prevalent worldwide, affecting
[1]
approximately 40% of the population, with a higher incidence in females than males .
In China, the morbidity of FGID ranges from 27.3% to 39.2% [2,3] . Psychosomatic diseases
of the digestive system rank first in terms of incidence and the number of types among all
internal psychosomatic diseases. Among the patients with FGID, approximately 32.1%
have comorbid anxiety symptoms and 25.2% have comorbid depressive symptoms .
[4]
Patients with FGID often spend additional resources due to frequent visits to
gastroenterology outpatient clinics, leading to a higher economic burden [5,6] — several
gaps toward possible resolution. Gastroenterologists may have difficulty identifying the
psychosocial factors behind gastrointestinal symptoms. Consequently, symptoms often
become chronic and persistent, with limited treatment outcomes affecting the patient’s
quality of life. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a more effective treatment
model for patients with FGID.
*Corresponding author:
Bo Zhou Psychosomatic digestive medicine was increasing important in the clinical practice
(tonyac7721@163.com) of FGID. In 2006, Rome III was published, and gastroenterologists reached a consensus
that social-psycho factors played an important role in the entire course of FGID.
Citation: Zou Z, Zhou X,
Zhou B, 2023, The development This was < 20 years since the diagnostic criteria, Rome I, was published for irritable
and practice of psychosomatic bowel syndrome in 1989. In 2016, Rome IV was published, further strengthening the
digestive medicine: An innovative psychosocial components of FGID. Over the last decade, gastroenterologists in China
and successful treatment model
in China. J Clin Basic Psychosom, have progressively carried forward the holistic model of medicine, incorporating
1(2): 0961. research achievements from Western psychosomatic medicine and forming related
https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.0961 academic groups (Table 1). In 2011, the academic committee of psychosomatic digestive
Received: May 18, 2023 medicine was established under the Western Psychiatric Association in China, marking
Accepted: July 6, 2023 the first academic group on the platform of psychiatric medicine in the country. Before
long, the psychosomatic digestive group of Zhengzhou was established. In 2014, the
Published Online: August 1, 2023 cooperation committee of psychosomatic medicine was established under the Chinese
Copyright: © 2023 Author(s). Medical Association of Gastroenterology. Subsequently, in 2015, the book titled “Expert
This is an Open Access article Opinions of Digestive Psychosomatic Health Problems in China” was published. In
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution 2016, the book titled “Theory and Practice on the Management of Mind-body Problems
License, permitting distribution, of Gastroenterology” was published. In 2017, the Chinese Digestive Psychosomatic
and reproduction in any medium, Union was established. In 2021, the book “Foundation and Clinical Practice of Digestive
provided the original work is
properly cited. Psychosomatic Disorder” was published. In the same year, China’s first and only
psychosomatic digestive ward was established.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with The psychosomatic digestive ward was established in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional it consisted of 40 beds. The doctors in the ward operated on a bio-psycho-social medical
affiliations. model and created a mind-body holistic treatment model of FGID. The medical team in

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 1 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.0961