Special Issue: Supporting Communities in Humanitarian Crises with Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine

Medical Acupuncture is planning a Special Issue focusing on how acupuncture and related therapies can be used for humanitarian purposes to support people affected by disasters, displacement, environmental devastation, poverty, and human conflict.

In humanitarian crises, individuals, families, and entire communities are affected by traumatic events. These psycho-physical patterns can manifest as aggravated pain, chronic disease escalation, insomnia, anxiety, depression, disassociation, substance dependence, impulsive behaviors, suicidality, and other trauma-related symptoms. They require somatic and emotional processing support for trauma reduction and recovery. Acupuncture is a powerful somatic intervention that helps re-regulate traumatic dysregulation, so that emotional processing can occur. It can be used in a variety of clinical settings (private settings or in community group settings) and is effective as a primary or as an adjunctive therapy.

The editors invite manuscripts from clinicians who have utilized acupuncture and related integrative medical therapies to help people cope with physical and emotional injuries stemming from traumatic experience with a focus on humanitarian service efforts. We are interested in submissions from all cultural perspectives. We also welcome submissions that focus on the impact of traumatic stress on children and animals. Case series, original research, as well as review articles with a focus on practical application, are encouraged. 

The deadline for manuscript submission is: March 17, 2023. 

Please submit your papers online to our web-based manuscript submission and peer-review system.

Medical Acupuncture, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., is the Official Journal of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. All members of the Academy receive a print subscription and online access to Medical Acupuncture as a benefit of their membership. The peer-reviewed Journal is under the editorial leadership of Editor-in-Chief Richard C. Niemtzow, MD, PhD, MPH, Director, United States Air Force Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine Center, and other leading investigators. View the entire editorial board.

Benefits of publishing with Medical Acupuncture:
•    Open Access options available
•    Indexed PubMed Central, Web of Science Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), among other leading indexing services
•    Average time to first decision: 27 days
•    Fast and user-friendly electronic submission 
•    Efficient and constructive peer review
•    Prompt online publication 
•    High global visibility: accessible in 170 countries worldwide 

Visit the journal website to view more information for authors including manuscript guidelines, information on available author services, and publication costs.

Questions? Contact Managing Editor Yael Benporat.