• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.355-358
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• 1974

A Survey was carried out in August 1973 in order to understand current status of traditional medical practice among rural resiednts. Following conclusions were obtained: a) Among total 500 cases utilizing traditional medical services, 60 cases were treated for diseases of digestive organ and 48 cases for nervous and sensory organ disorders. b) 198 cases utilized traditional medicine for self-treatment and most of them seemed to be unscientific and was based on an experience through their own practice. It should be developed and integrated with mordern medicine.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.177-196
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• 1997

This study was undertaken to explore the antecedent factors and process of the treatment-seeking behaviors of medical and alternative treatments in patients with arthritis using methodological triangulation. The data were collected from 995 arthritic patients who were registered either in a center of rheumatology for medical treatment or residents of community having no treatment to classify different treatment patterns. Sixteen patients with various types of treatment only, alternative treatment only, and no treatment were selected among the total samples to identify the antecedent factors through in-depth interview. The quantitative data were analyzed by percentile, t-test, chi-square test and discrimant analysis using SAS PC program, while the qualitative data were analyzed by means of grounded theory methodology. Treatment-seeking behaviors of patients change from the early stage to the sick-role stage. At the early stage, initial characteristics of pain and acculturation of medical professionalism affect the choice of treatment patterns. The acculturation of medical professionalism is affected by health care accessibility, level of education, duration of sickness and lay referral system. At the sick-role stage, lay referral system and acculturation of medical professionalism affect the choice of treatment patterns. The acculturation of medical professionalism is affected by characteristics of symtoms, perceived treatment effects, perceived causes of diseases and socio-economic status as well as health care accessibility, level of education and lay referral system. In conclusion, different factors as well as common factors are influencing the treatment-seeking behaviors depending on the disease and treatment stages. More detailed further studies are required to explore the value system or medical acculturation of patients which is one of the most important factors in decision-making about treatment modalities.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.257-260
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• 1999

죽염은 우리 민족이 오래 전부터 각종 염증 및 소화기 계통의 질병을 치료하기 위해 만들어 온 '민속 약'이다. 죽염의 기원은 우리나라의 오랜 민간요법의 전통에서 비롯된다. 본래 한국에는 소금을 볶아서 쓰거나, 대통 속에 넣고 한두 번 구워서 체했을 때나 소화가 잘 안될 때, 상처가 났을 때 지혈제나 소독제, 이를 닦는 재료 등으로 써 왔다. 이 민간요법은 지금도 한국의 경상남도 일부 지방에 남아 있는데, 이를 '구염' 또는 '약소금'이라 불렀다.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.109-121
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• 1991

To investigate the period prevalence rate and therapeutic practic for low back pain (LBP) in the adult population of rural area, a personal interview was conducted for 2.024 persons or 20-59 years old in Seohu Myon, Andong County, Kyungpook Province between 1st and 20th of April, 1991. The period prevalence rate (l February 1990-31 January 1991) of LBP for 1,106 adults who were interviewed was $47.9\%$. The age adjusted period prevalence rate for males was $43.7\%$ and that for females was $52.3\%$ and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.005). Clinical course of th LBP was acute in $14.1\%$ of males and $9.0\%$ of females, recurrent in $57.0\%$ and $55.2\%$, and chronic in $28.9\%$ and $35.8\%$, respectively. Common causes of the LBP were insidious on set with aging without known cause$(48.1\%)$, heavy work $(15.1\%)$, and trauma $(11.3\%)$. Due to LBP $12.5\%$ of the patients were not able to stand or walk for more than an hour and $2.5\%$ were bed-ridden or unable to carry out daily routine. To have the LBP diagnosed $10.2\%$ of the patients utilized a oriental medical clinic or hospital, $31.3\%$ visited a clinic or hospital, and $56.6\%$ hat not utilized any medical facility. Main reason for not having the LBP diagnosed was that the LBP was tolerable. The most popular therapeutic method that the LBP patients chose at the first was drug and physical therapy. Herb medicine was most commonly used when the first therapeutic method was not effective and the acupuncture was the most popular choice of therapy when the second therapeutic method failed. Folk medicine was utilized in $15.5\%$ of the LBP patients and it included 36 regimens such as tincture of motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus), boiled chicken with liquor, etc. It was revealed by this survey that the LBP is a serious health problem in the rural area and many of the LBP patients do not utilize a clinic or hospital but take non-scientific folk remedy. To prevent the economic waste and side effects of the folk remedy, public health education is needed for tile rational therapy of LBP.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.3-18
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• 1988

The general objective of this research is to study behavioral pattern of health care utilization and to measure the level of utilization of the traditional medicine. The specific objective is to study utilization pattern and content of folk medicine which is the indegenous medical technology recognized part of traditional medicine. This research was under taken to generate valid information that will provide basis data for formulating general direction for health education activities and for designing service package for general population. A social survey method was employed to obtain required information for the research activities, The survey field team consisted of 20 surveyors who all participated is an intensive 2 day training course. A total of 3091 households were visited and interviewed by the field team during the period 7 September to 6 October 1987. The major findings obtained from the information collected by the field survey are as follows ; 1) General characteristics of the study households 2562 households out of 3091 households visited were selected for final data process, 80.2 of the selected households were nuclear families ; 17.4%, extended families ; others 2.4%. Only 4.3 percent of the study population in the urban households indicated "no schooling" whereas 14.2% of the rural household members falls within this category. Study population in the urban areas are more protected against diseases by the national medical insurance system than those in rural areas. In their self appraisal of living standard, those who responded with low group are 39.6% and 50.3% respectively by urban and rural households. 2) Morbidity status Period prevalence rate for all diseases during the preceding 15 days before the date of the household interview v as 243,0 per 1,000 study population. For cases with the illness duration of within 15 days, the initial points of medical entry were diversied ; 56.9%, drug stores ; 30.9%, clinics and hospitals ; 4.6% folk medicine ; 1.7% clinics of Korean oriental medicine. Among the chronic case; with illness duration of over 90 days, 34.6% of these people utilized clinics and hospitals of modern medicine ; 31.6%, drug stores ; 18.6% clinics of Korean oriental medicine ; 6.8% folk medical techniques. Noticeable is the almost ten fold increase from the mere 0.9% in the utilization of Korean oriental medicine, whereas in the utilization of folk medicine, it is short of two-fold increase. 3) Folk medicine and its utilization Households that use folk medicine for relief and care of signs and symptoms commonly encountered in daily life, number 1969 households, which accounts for 76.9% of all the study households. This rather high level use of folk medicine is not different from rural to urban areas. The order of frequency of utilizing folk medicine among the study people are : the highest 14.3% for the relief of indigestion ; 8.6% for burns ; 5.1% for common cold ; 4.7% for hiccough ; and 4.2% for hordeolum. A present various procedures of folk medicine is being used to relieve all kinds of symptoms. 192 symptoms are identified at present. The most frequently used procedures of folk medicine appear to be based either on principles of the Korean oriental medicine or of scientific knowledge. Based on these survey findings, proposals for utilizing folk medicine are as follows First, this survey's findings will be feed back to both on the job training and on the spot guidance of community health practitioners, public health nurses and other peripheral work force in the health field, who are in daily contacts with community. This feed back will assure that the health personnel carry out their health education and information activities that are based on the utilization pattern of folk medicine as found in the survey result. Second, studies will be soon implemented that are designed to measure the efficiency and potency of these procedures and to improve these procedures of folk medicine were most frequently used by the community. Third, studies will continue to systematize medicinal plants and skills of Korean oriental medicine that are easily available at minimal cost in daily life for the prevention of diseases and management of emergency cases.