• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.16-27
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was to investigate the using pattern of alternative therapies in chronic arthritics. Method: We interviewed 192 Arthritis patients lived in the metropolitan area with structured questionnaire from August to september in 2004. Data were analyzed statistically by using SPSS program. Result: Results were summarized as follows; 1. 89.0% of subjects had utilized one or more types of alternative therapies 80.8% of these patients did not consult a nurse or doctor with using alternative therapies. 2. 87.7% of subjects obtained information of using the alternative therapy from similar patients, their families or relatives etc. The most frequently used types of alternative therapies are hand acupuncture(58.0%), bathing(29.6%), massage(25.4%) taping therapy(13.0%). 3. After using alternative therapies, over 80% of subjects answered that they were satisfied to effects of alternative therapies and only 9.4% of them responded that they experienced side effects from use of alternative therapies. Conclusion: results of the study showed that most of patients with arthritis have used alternative therapies, they were satisfied to effect of using alternative therapies. Therefore, many research for use of alternative therapy and the development of standardized protocol of nursing intervention appling alternative therapy need to be achieved.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine utilization of alternative therapies and understand decisional criteria related to use of alternative therapies among chemotherapy patients. Method: Data were collected from 165 cancer patients through the use of questionnaire and interviews at the chemotherapy treatment rooms of two general hospitals located in Seoul. Result: Sixty point six percent of subjects after cancer diagnosis have experience of using alternative therapies and 39.4% were still using alternative therapies. On the average the patients used alternative therapies for 9.4 months and they paid 483,000 Won per month for alternative therapies. Decisional criteria related to use of alternative therapy were curability, social group influence about alternative therapy, confidence in alternative therapy, present symptoms, and who decide on the use of alternative therapy. These variables in the alternative therapy group were statistically different from those of the hospital treatment only group. Conclusion: Utilization rate of alternative therapy among chemotherapy patients is high and cost burden is heavy. Thus, they need to be educated about utilization of alternative therapy by nurse and medical personnel.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.188-196
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify attitudes of nursing students in terms of complementary and alternative therapies and to find out what curriculums they prefer. Methods: Data was collected through 283 participants from a nursing school by self-report questionnaires that were constructed to include scales. The scales were made as a measurement to search the attitudes of nursing students regarding complementary and alternative therapies. In addition, to find out some of the curriculum that are preferred by them. The data was analyzed using t-test and ANOVA with SPSS/WIN 18.0. Results: Students' attitudes of complementary and alternative therapies were positive. Students' attitudes of complementary and alternative therapies differed depending on factors like one's religion, experiences and education. Some of the curriculum that nursing students wished to be opened related to complementary and alternative therapies turned out to be massage therapy, art therapies that include music and dancing, medication therapy and aroma therapy. Conclusion: In order for nursing students to be able to apply these complementary and alternative therapies at the field after graduation while they are working as a registered nurse, constant effort should be accomplished in establishing complementary and alternative therapies as regular curriculum at University.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.75-90
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• 2001

Although it is presumed that cancer patients take various alternative therapies, the present status is not well recognized. The purpose of this study is to survey alternative therapies used by cancer patients receiving radiation therapy and then, find associated factors of taking alternative therapies. The study subjects were composed of those who receiving radiation therapy in the department of radiation oncology in 5 hospitals located at Extended Busan city and who were on follow-up after medical cure. They were 394 male and female patients over 20 years old. The mean age of the subjects was 53.2 years old and the age ranged from 23 to 83 years old. 188 patients($47.7\%$) used alternative therapies. Total 68 different kinds of alterative therapies were used, average 7.3 kinds per patient were experienced, and average total cost expenditure was 2,830,000 won. Among the alternative therapies, black bean($38.8\%$) was the most commonly used and brown rice($38.3\%$), ganoderm lucidum($37.8\%$), elm tree($33.5\%$), and phellinus linteus($30.8\%$) were followed in order of frequency. However in considering the time, cost and effort spent, phellinus linteus was the first. In terms of cost, phellinus linteus was the highest with average expenditure of 2,740,000 won. Among the motivation of using alternative therapies, expecting auxiliary help for the hospital therapy was the highest ($31.4\%$). About half of users($56.9\%$) of alternative therapies were recommended by their relatives to use alternative therapies. In comparing the characteristics of experienced and unexperienced groups, alternative therapy was experienced significantly more in patients of younger age(p=0.001), in patient of higher educational level(p=0.001), and in patients of higher income(p=0.030) The proportion of using alternative therapies was significantly higher in the group treated with chemotherapy(p=0.005), and in the patients who did not satisfy with radiation therapy(p=0.001). The frequency of drinking was significantly higher tendency in the inexperienced group(p=0.046), There was no significant difference in marital status, job, religion, other disease, surgical operation of the cancer and smoking staus between the two groups. Among the unexperienced group, $34.0\%$ of the patients did not take the alternative therapies because they did not have know]edge for the alternatives, and $22.3\%$ worried about negative effects on hospital-based therapy $58.7\%$ of them were willing to take the alternative therapies if the effects and safety were proven by the government or research institutes. $21.9\%$ of the patients wanted to take the alternatives if they were affordable. $72.3\%$ of the patients was willing to take them if their families recommend, but $27.2\%$ responded they would not take them in any situation. Conclusively, various kinds of alternative therapies which were not proved medically were exposed to patients, In these circumstances, it is required to investigate, study and evaluate the medical effects and safety of the alternative therapies.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.250-261
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• 2001

Alternative therapy for rheumatoid arthritis has become worldwide phenomenon this decade without scientific validation. This study was undertaken to explore the prevalence, patterns of use, and perceived efficacy of alternative therapies by patients attending a rheumatology clinic. We conducted a crossectional survey of 142 RA patients with structured questionnaire at outpatient rheumatic clinic from July to August in 2001. Results of this study were summarized as follows : 1. 85.9% of subjects were woman. Mean age was 49.97years, duration of rheumatoid arthritis was 5.6years. Mean pain score was 5.29cm. 2. 74.6% of subjects perceived rheumatoid arthritis as a controllable disease. 31% of patients combined medical treatments with alternative therapies. 58.5% of patients perceived that combining medical treatments with alternative therapies is the most effective strategy in controlling disease. 3. 77.5% had used more than one alternative therapy since the diagnosis was made. The major reason of discontinuation of use was no effect for the treatment of their disease. 4. 34.5% were currently using an alternative therapies and 50.9% were going to use alternative therapies in future. 5. 42.7% reported that alternative therapies was effective and only 3.6% reported side effects. 6. The perceived effect score was 3.14cm in general expecially the physiological score 2.91cm, psychological score 4.16cm. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a high use of alternative therapies by rheumatoid arthritis patients. And the perceived effect score of physiological aspect was not higher than one of psychological aspect. Therefore it should be considered in education program for the use of alternative therapies.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.52-63
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• 2000

In Korea, most of the patients with chronic liver diseases have been using some kind of alternative therapies at home. however, the question is why do people turn to alternative therapy and how the patients are able to use the alternative therapies widely, though the effects have not been proven scientifically. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the process of the patients' experiences using the alternative therapies. The 16 participants were from internalmedical departments in hospital and the permission was received to participate in this study from the subjects. The data were collected with interviews and participants observations, analyzed by the grounded theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin(1990). With the analysis of the data, 15 categories were generated such as psychological pressures, barriers of role performances, distrusts of western medicine, blind obediences to the treatments, attitudes towards alternative therapies, supportive systems, obstacles to taking alternative therapies, financial burdens, collecting informations, pursuing alternative modalities, efforting diversities, analyzing by themselves, managing the body, accepting the disease, and ambivalence. The paradigm model was developed to identify the relationships of categories. The central phenomenon of the experiences of seeking alternative therapies was named jagi momdasrim. The central concept of jagi momdasrim is a mind-set to desire to wellness and to take more responsibility for one's own healing by pursuing alternate healing modalities rather than the western medical system. The process of jagi momdasrim evolved several stages such as seeking, finding, struggling, overcoming, fulfilling, and governing the diseases. Four patterns of taking alternative therapies were found as follows: the bulsin-chujong-hyung, the suyoung-hyung, the yangdari-gulchiki-hyung, the chamjae-hyung. In conclusion, the phenomenon of alternative therapies as consumer-driven force to heal the chronic liver diseases of the patients could be explained as an adaptive behavior through the process of jagi momdasrim. However, since most of the participants practicing some kind of alternative therapies had no evidences of its effects and never tried to consult with their medical doctors about alternative therapies, we should approach more actively. Therefore, it is recommended for nurses to listen and watch the patients behaviors of using alternative therapies and find out how to educate the patients about the proper and safe way to take the alternative therapies.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.124-134
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• 2004

The major results of this study were as follows : 1. The percentage of nurses who know the complementary and alternative therapies was 50.1% Most of them(70.6%) acknowledged the therapies from newspapers, television and magazines. 2. The complementary and alternative therapy was perceived as effective by 64.9% of the nurses and as trusted by 60.2% of them The effective methods of the therapy are acupuncture herb medicine and massage. 3. Most of the nurses 93.4% experienced getting inquiries from patients or their guardians whether to use the therapies. 4. The complementary and alternative therapies was experienced by 38.9% of nurses and 7.1% of them use the therapies frequently 92.9% of patients and families were satisfied with the result 'Massage Therapy' was used the most with no side-effects and thus higher need of education for nurses. 5. They wanted to be trained for massage therapy finger-pressure, music therapy, acupuncture, aroma therapy in order. 6. Reliance on the complementary and alternative therapies, 75.2% of nurses completed the course trusted the therapies and the result of others uncompleted was similar as 52.2% Moreover both 79.5% of nurses completed it and 61.6% of the others said that the complementary and alternative therapy's nursing interventions is possible to develop. 7. It shows high relation to recognition having possibilities for applying and developing as the nursing intervention. if the confidence is as high as about the complementary and alternative therapies. Based of the results of this study as above this study proposes as follows. First, The nurses should understand mentality of the patients so that the nurses have to put in operation appropriate nursing intervention as accurate knowledge of the alternation therapies using to cancer patients for having on damages to patients from their rash using way. Furthermore, it is necessary to supply the special place and the professional nurses taking complete charge at them. Next politic interest and support from government are required to develop and practice systematic and resonable education programs for the complementary and alternative therapies. Moreover, it is necessary for nurses to be educated about the therapies continually. Finally, it is compulsory that the research and development for complementary and alternative therapies is needed. In addition, it has to be made standard and legal equipment for safety efficacy and theory about the therapies.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.46-56
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify health status and the use of complementary and alternative therapies in the community dwelling pre-elderly and elderly. Methods: A total of 193 subjects participated in this study. They were recruited from one senior welfare center, four senior citizen centers and subjects' home in two cities. Data were collected with self-reported questionnaires to measure health status and the use of complementary and alternative therapies. Data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA using SPSS/WIN 22.0. Results: Health status in this subjects was different depending on their age, sex, education, religion, type of family, and average monthly living expenses. Most used items as complementary and alternative medicine are diet therapy, herbal medicine such as health supplement food therapy, vitamin therapy, and Korean folk remedies. There were statistically significant differences in using complementary and alternative therapies according to one's current health status (F=7.09, p<.001), comparing health status to peers (F=3.67, p=.013), and chronic disease having more than three months (t=-2.50, p=.013). Conclusion: This study suggest that individualized health care should be continued for the pre-elderly and elderly. Moreover, we need to prepare long term care plans such as educations for applying complementary and alternative therapies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.37-53
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• 2007

This study is carried in the goal to investigate the individual awareness rate about alternative therapy among the unspecified persons and their experience of using it, and to promote the diffusion of alternative therapy. The questionnaire research for this study has been conducted among 300 unspecified persons who live in some areas. The following is figured out in this study: 1. To the question of knowledge grade about alternative therapies, 44.4% of respondents answer they 'know a little.' 2. Regarding the experience of using alternative therapies, 22.6% of respondents answer 'Yes.' This rate is very low, the reason of it can be perceived that the names of categories in alternative therapies has not been showed to them and they don't have pre-knowledge about it. 3. The 166 persons of 248 reply that they use alternative therapies. This rate indicate their recognition of categories of alternative therapies, and the gap of the question of experience and using nowadays is interpreted to result from the gap of the pre-knowledge. 4. Regarding the field of the alternative therapies that the respondents want to learn, the first field the male respondents choose is acupuncture(41 persons, Res in needle, bloodletting, etc.), and the female respondents choose acupuncture firstly(20 persons). Therefore the learning courses of alternative therapies are more effective when the preference of men and women is considered. Consequently, both the research about the given kinds of alternative therapies with demonstration of their medical effect and the systematic promotion and education about alternative therapy is considered to be needed.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2002

Obesity is a serious medical disorder because it can cause a myriad of health problems, such as heart disease, hypertension, and adult-onset diabetes. While conventional medical treatment for obesity has limitations, there is enormous public enthusiasm for complementary and alternative treatments of obesity. This article reviews currently commonly used complementary and alternative therapies for obesity, such as medicinal herbs, nutritional supplements and acupuncture. Beneficial effects and possible adverse effects associated with these treatment are discussed.