Status Of Korean Medicine

Korean Medicine is a medical procedure that is highly trusted by the Korean public. It has been proven by a survey that Korean Medicine has a gained a high level of trust by Korean citizens, and 7 out of 10 (73.8%) Koreans have experienced receiving Korean Medicine Treatment. An age-specific rate revealed that 90.6% of people over 60 years-old ranked highest in experiencing Korean medicine, with people in their 50s being 86.1%, and those in their 40s amounting up to 77.7%. How they gained information and knowledge about Korean Medicine was also surveyed, and 38.6% of the people replied that they got them from people around them such as family and friends. The second source of information was the media, which reached 27.3% and Korean Medicine Facilities followed the next accounting for 24.9%.

Surveys also looked at illnesses that lead patients to turn to Korean Medicine. Backaches topped the rankings by reaching 52.7%, followed by sprains, adhesive capsulitis of shoulder (shoulder pains). The rest of the illnesses that took place accordingly were arthritis, disk diseases, rhinitis (pharyngitis), etc. The commonly taken Korean Medicine treatments were Acupuncture, which 90.2% of the patients took, Cupping, which reached 53.0%, Moxibustion 49.1%, and Korean Medicine Physical Therapy, amounting up to 40.2%. The formulation preference was led by decoction, due to its fast effects. Other forms were aligned by its convenience and portability; its order of preference was confirmed as follows.: pill granules, soft extracts, tablets, 

Baeksanje (extract powder without excipients).

The medical facilities that Koreans use in order to receive the treatments were listed in the order of clinics, hospitals, Korean Medicine shops, pharmacies, and medical centers. The number of using Korean medicine services per person were divided with sections of ranges; 26.4% for 1~3 times a year, 30.7% for 4~7 times a year, 19.4% for 8~12 times a year, and more than 13 times took up 23.5% a year. The average visits to a Korean Medicine facility was amounted to be 11.6 times a year. Furthermore, 50.4% of the outpatients of Korean Medicine were treated due to spinal disorders (the hip parts), and 

the next cause of treatment was arthritis.

What's more is that about 84.2% of the Korean population deemed that they intend to use Korean Medicine in the future, and 61.7% responded positively to the question that they are willing to recommend Korean Medicine to other people. In terms of satisfaction regarding treatment, 67.5% replied that they were satisfied after they received treatment, while only 8.7% expressed discontent. Also, considering the number of the overall satisfaction regarding Korean Medicine Treatment, 86.5% of the respondents replied that they were satisfied with the overall outpatient care provided, while another 91.3% gave positive answers to the overall inpatient treatment. All of these results indicate that the overall satisfaction rate of Korean Medicine is remarkably high. 

The reason to using Korean Medicine was as follows.; 'Its treatments are effective' being 58.1%, 'It has a low chance of side effects.' reaching 14.4%, 'The dangers and prospects towards surgeries are relatively low', marking 5.8%, and 'Explanation in-depth is remarkable' turned out to be 1.4%. Other reasons than the mentioned consisted 19.4%.