|
KMID : 0882420110800010068
|
|
Korean Journal of Medicine
2011 Volume.80 No. 1 p.68 ~ p.77
|
|
|
Multicenter Analysis of the Current Status of Unproved Complementary/ Alternative Medicine Other than Herbal Medication in Allergy Patients
|
|
Lee Hyun-Jung
Lee Jae-Hyun
Lee Yong-Won
Kim Cheol-Woo
Dhong Hun-Jong
Park Hae-Sim
Cho Young-Joo
Cho Jin-Hee
Cho Sang-Heon
Pyun Bok-Yang
Lee Kwang-Hoon
Lee Hae-Ran
Park Jung-Won
Hong Chein-Soo
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Background/Aims: The use of unproven complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) to treat allergies is popular in Korea. We conducted a multicenter survey of the current use of CAM other than herbal medication in Korean allergy patients.
Methods: This study enrolled 510 adults with allergic diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and chronic urticaria, from ten hospitals. They underwent a structured questionnaire interview and clinical assessment of the prevalence, motivation, costs, and subjective assessment of CAM.
Results: Of the patients, 16.7% used at least one type of CAM to treat their allergic diseases. Common types of CAM were diet (48.6%), aroma therapy (23.8%), massage (14.3%), breathing exercises (7.6%), baths (5.7%), and mind control (5.7%). The therapeutic effects of CAM included “improved” in patients using mind control (50%), diet (50%), breathing exercises (75%), and baths (33.3%), but “worse” in patients using aroma therapy (28%), and massage (26.7%). About 36.4% of the patients used CAM more than four times per year, and the average cost per CAM user was 370,000 won/year. The main reason for trying CAM was ‘hope to improve my constitution’.
Conclusions: CAM is used widely for treating allergic diseases in Korea. Detailed knowledge of CAM and patient education are important. Further studies of the clinical efficacy of CAM are needed.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Complementary medicine, Allergy, Epidemiology
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
  
|
|