Diabetes & Metabolism Journal

Original Articles

Resurvey of Alternative Medicine in Korean Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus after 10Years.: Kyung Wook Lee, Seong Bin Hong, Kee Young Min, Seung Yong Lee, Moonsuk Nam, Yong Seong Kim, Chul Woo Ahn, Bong Soo Cha, Kyung Rae Kim, Hyun Chul Lee, Kwan Woo Lee, Tae Sun Park; Korean Diabetes J. 2005;29(3):231-238. Published online May 1, 2005

1,244 View
18 Download

Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
Despite tremendous advances in modern medicine, the interest in alternative medicine, including those medicines used for the treatment of diabetes has intensified throughout the industrialized world. We conducted a clinical resurvey of the dlternative medicines used for diabetic treatment, and we compared the results with those from the previous survey. METHODS: From July through October 2004, a total of 1,233 type 2 diabetics attending diabetes clinics in five university hospitals were interviewed and asked 14 questions that were identical to those questions asked 10 years ago during the earlied study. RESULTS: On the average, the respondents, having an average age of 58.9+/-11.4years, suffered diabetes for 8.7+/-7.3years with 7.7+/-1.4% HbA1c. The percentage of patients who experienced using alternative medicine for diabetic treatment plummeted from 73.9% to 33.2% over the last 10 years. Herbal medicine maintained its high popularity with increase an being seen in supplementary food use. The average per-capita spending on alternative medicine changed from 520,000 Korea Won on five types of medicine in 1994 to 730,000 on two types of medicine in 2004. Regarding the information sources, the family and relatives topped the list again(70.3%). Information sources such as mass media almost doubled to 20.2%, and the internet accounted for 1.2% in 2004. The majority of the users said again in 2004 that the medicine was `inefficacious'(63.5%) but those who answered positively inched up by 3.1% from 14.5% in 1994. To the question if they would try a new alternative medicine, the majority answered negatively in 2004(43% of the experienced group, 52.3% of the inexperienced group), and this was unlike the results in 1994 when the positive responses prevailed(78.6% and 72.7% respectively). CONCLUSION: Alternative medicine use among the type 2 diabetic patients has declined in the last 10 years. The patients overall attitude toward alternative medicine has turned negative, and this is primarily attributable the to continuous, proper education by mass media and social groups

Status and Associating Factors of Complementary and Altemative Medicine Among Korean Diabetic Patients.: Yun Sook Kim, Jin Ho Chun, Jeong Hyun Park, Chang II Kang; Korean Diabetes J. 2000;24(1):78-89. Published online January 1, 2001

998 View
24 Download

Abstract PDF: 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.

First
Prev
Page of 1
Next
Last

Search