A Survey on the Use of Alternative Medicine in Allergy Patients

Lee, Seon Woo; Lee, Kyung Eun; Park, Eun Hye; Cho, Hyun Sang; Cha, Jae Kook; Lee, Hae Ran

Abstract

PURPOSE
Alternative medicine(AM) is defined as the approaches and techniques that are not included in the curricula of medical schools or residency training at present. This study aimed to evaluate the present status of the use of AM in allergic diseases and to propose an appropriate guide.
METHODS
Mailed questionnaires on the patterns of the use of AM were collected during the month of May in 2001. The data was analyzed using SPSS WINDOW 8.0.
RESULTS
1) One hundred and five patients responded. Their mean age was 46.5 years old and the mean duration of the diseases was 67 months. 2) Ninety six(91.4%) out of 105 responders who have allergic diseases experienced AM. Herb medicine(57.3%) was most popular and hot spring(22.9%), immune stimulants(22.9%), nutritional supplements(13.5%), acupuncture(12.5%), breathing exercise, aroma-therapy and foods such as aloe, honey and ginkgo nuts were also tried. 3) The annual mean expenditure for the AM was about 690,000 Won. Severely diseased patients spent more money out of their pocket for AM. 4) Doctors(43.5%), oriental doctors(19.8%), neighbours(27.1%) and mass media played some roles for the distribution of the information about AM. 5) The patients purchased the products for AM from drug store, hospital, market, health care shop and by mail or internet orders. 6) Thirty two patients(33.3%) were satisfied with the AM and 35(36.5%) patients answered that they would recommend the AM to the others.
CONCLUSION
Many allergy patients used various kinds of AM without any guidelines. Therefore, doctors' active participation in AM is necessary to confirm the scientific basis, to strengthen patient's education and to filter the informations about AM spreaded by the mass media.