Usage patterns and adverse experiences in traditional Korean medicine: results of a survey in South Korea

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough traditional medicine (TM) in South Korea is included in the national health care system, it is considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and not mainstream medicine. Therefore, the lack of statistical data regarding the usage and adverse experiences of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) makes difficult to understand the current status of TM. In this study, we aimed to report usage patterns and adverse experiences on TKM targeting consumers in South Korea.MethodsA total of 2000 consumers participated in the survey on usage and adverse experiences in 2008. Among the 2,000 participants, 915 (45.8%) had taken herbal medicine or received traditional medicinal therapies; these individuals were further surveyed on the internet or in an interview.ResultsThe usage rate was higher among women and among patients in their 30s. Of the total TKM usage, acupuncture accounted for 36.7%, and herbal medicine accounted for 13.4%. Regarding the frequency of use of TKM, 73.8% of patients reported using TM less than 5 times in 1 year. Of the 915 respondents, 8.2% of individuals had some type of adverse experience resulting from TKM. Adverse experiences were primarily caused by acupuncture and herbal medicines, and they primarily involved diseases of the digestive system and skin. The incidence of adverse experiences was less than 3.7% for acupuncture and 3.8% for herbal medicine. Overall, the incidence rate of adverse experiences for TKM for the entire population was 0.04 per 10,000 individuals.ConclusionsThe medical usage and occurrence of adverse events on TKM should be surveyed periodically, and the statistical trends should be analysed. The disparity between the survey results for traditional herbal medicines and medical practices, and those for the national pharmacovigilance system or academic reports of adverse experiences should be examined. The national pharmacovigilance system must be improved to compensate for the disparities. Policies and regulations are required to enhance the reporting of adverse experiences not only for herbal medicines but also for traditional medicinal therapies.

Changes in attitudes toward and patterns in traditional Korean medicine among the general population in South Korea: A comparison between 2008 and 2011

“…Although the entire population is covered by medical insurance and many people were familiar with various modalities as the major form of health care [15], others were opposed to TKM because of the lack of scientific evidence regarding its practices, adverse effects resulting from treatment, or because of the financial burden [5,12]. Nevertheless, we found that two-thirds of our sample population used some type of TKM therapies in 2011.…”

“…The questionnaire that we used contained nearly the same checklists as his survey, and we followed his protocols as much as possible. In addition, the socio-demographic ratios among the participants, the age distributions of the participants, and the dates of the year in our survey were similar to those same features in the 2008 survey [12].…”

“…Second, the size of their sample was double the size of ours. Third, the author of the 2008 survey was focused [12]. Chuna may involve chiropracty, Chuna, and other similar manual therapies that largely target back pain.…”

“…Three major TKM public surveys were conducted in 1999 [13], 2006 [14], and 2008 [12]. However, there was an enormous difference in the prevalence of TKM users between 1999 and 2006, when the proportion of the population using TKM jumped from 29% to 74.8%, as shown in Table 5.…”

“…The survey instrument was designed to include questions regarding TKM utilization, self-perception, types of CAM use, reasons for choosing TKM, and the frequency with which the respondent visited TKM clinics. To assess TKM usage (as opposed to CAM usage) and to ensure comparability with the 2008 survey conducted by Shin et al [12] (referred to herein as the "2008 survey"), we adjusted the questionnaire to contain the following TKM modalities: acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, physical therapy, herbal medicine, Chuna (including chiropracty and any type of manual therapy primarily designed to address or relieve back pain), and other modalities based on the 2008 survey [12]. Non-TKM therapies that are still considered CAM were excluded from this study, including treatments based on vitamins, honey, compound nutrient pills, meditation, and breathing exercises.…”