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 indigenous 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 fair 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 was 243.0 per 1,000 study population.
For cases with the illness duration of within 15 days, the initial points of medical entry were diverse ; 56.9 %, drug stores ; 30.9 %, clinics and hospitals; 4.6% folk medicine; 1.7% clinics of Korean oriental medicine.
Among the chronic cases 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 o 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 His 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.
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