Status and Associating Factors of Complementary and Altemative Medicine Among Korean Diabetic Patients

Kim, Yun Sook; Chun, Jin Ho; Park, Jeong Hyun; Kang, Chang II

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although it is not clarified the effect of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), yet it was widely applied to the treatment of many chronic diseases. This study aimed to propose a guide for appropriate use of CAM for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in Korea.
METHODS
The study subjects were 192 patients (male 93, female 99), who diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at Pusan Paik Hospital. The status and associating factors of CAM used by the patients were asked from March 1 to 31, 1999.
RESULTS
The mean age of the study subjects were 57.0+/-9.6 years, and the mean duration of disease was 8.2+/-6.0 years. Approximately 71% of the subjects experience CAM at least once in past. In total, 132 kinds of CAM had been taken and the average number of CAM taken by one patient was 7.6. Silkworm was used most frequently (80.9%), then followed by ginseng (34.6%), black bean (33.1%), concoction of herbs (18.4%) and pine tree leaves (17,6%). In general, CAM was introduced by their acquaintances(64.7%), of which family relatives and friends was 51.5%, and the information about CAM were gathered from the mass media (25,0%) or health publications (20.6%). Among them, 86.8% simultaneously took CAM with the conventional therapy - diet, exercise and medication. Only 27.9% approved the effect of CAM. In logistic regression, the duration of disease (OR=1.09), contact with the mass media or health publications(OR=4.34) and education(OR=0.33) were detected as the independent factors for the use of CAM.
CONCLUSION
Many diabetic patients use the various as-yet-unverified CAM without any guidelines. It is considered that there is no patient's education about CAM and the mass media and various health publications have significant impact on the spread of CAM. Therefore, to lead the appropriate use of CAM for diabetic control, it is necessary to strengthen patient's education and to filter these informations from the mass media and various health publications.