Promoting Acupuncture Service in Surakarta, Central Java

Chrise Wijanto¹⁾, Didik Tamtomo²⁾, Hermanu Joebagyo³⁾

¹⁾Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret

²⁾Departement of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret

³⁾Faculty of Teaching and Educational Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret

ABSTRACT

Background: The Indonesian government supports the existence of acupuncture health services. The form of government support is the Minister of Health Regulation No. 34 of 2018 concerning the Permit and Implementation of Therapist Acupuncture Practice. This regulation makes the acupuncture service have a strong legal umbrella. But many people do not know about acupuncture services. This study aimed to discuss the promotion of acupuncture services carried out by acupuncture therapists.

Subjects and Method: This was a phenomenology qualitative study. It was carried out in Surakarta, Central Java, in December 2018. Key informants consisting of four acupuncture therapists were selected for this study purposively. The selected informants had different places of practice. Informant 1 was a therapist at Griya Sehat. Informant 2 was a therapist at the Primary Clinic. Informant 3 was a therapist and owner of an acupuncture service. Informant 4 works by home care. The data were collected by in-depth interview. The data were checked for validity. Data analysis process included collecting, reducing, presenting, and verifying.

Results: Various methods have been employed by acupuncture practitioners or therapists to promote acupuncture, including: leaflet, brochure, name card, magazine, television, advertisement in Google, and social media. Communities living near the acupuncture facility, aged 35 years or above, and middle and high economic classes, were found to be the potential target of acupuncture.

Conclusion: Methods of promotion as well as potential target population of acupuncture service have been identified.

Keywords: acupuncture service, promotion

Correspondence: Chrise Wijanto. Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta 57126, Central Java, Indonesia. Email: chrisewijanto@yahoo.com. Mobile: +6285725873639

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26911/theicph.2019.04.02

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