Perception and Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Diabetic Patients in Busan Area

Article information

Korean J Community Nutr. 2011;16(4):488-496

Publication date (electronic) : 2011 August 31

doi : https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2011.16.4.488

Hyeryung Kim , Eunjoo Son ¹, Mikyung Kim ², Eunsoon Lyu

Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea.

¹Department of Nutrition Care, Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Science, Busan, Korea.

²Department of Internal Medicine, Maryknoll Medical Center, Busan, Korea.

Corresponding author: Lyu Eunsoon, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Fisheries Sciences, Pukyong National University, #599-1 Daeyeong 3-dong, Nam-gu, Busan 608-737, Korea. Tel: (015) 269-5848, Fax: (051) 629-5842, eslyu@pknu.ac.kr

Received 2011 May 27; Revised 2011 June 13; Accepted 2011 July 28.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception and utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for diabetic patients in Busan. The subjects were 227 patients at two general hospitals (over 400 bed). This study was performed through the interviewing process using questionnaires conducted from January to April, 2010. Of a total of subjects, 109 patients (48.0%) had taken CAM at least one time. The patients used CAM recognized that they were 'auxiliary medicines' (39.4%), 'supplementary health foods' (32.1%) and 'medicines' (19.3%), but inexperienced patients perceived them as 'supplementary health foods' (29.6%), 'unscientific treatment' (22.6%) and 'medicines' (20.2%), It was significantly different between two groups of patients (p < 0.001). The number of CAM types used for the patients was 51. The CAM types were plant foods (64.3%), dietary supplement (23.6%) and animal diets (12.1%). The patients used an average of 5.9 different kinds of CAM and an average of 3.8 years them and paid \93,345 per month. The patients with diabetic complications and for longer morbidity periods used CAM for significantly (p < 0.05) longer periods. The mean effectiveness scores of the patients used CAM were 3.31/5.00 for efficacy satisfaction, 3.58/5.00 for fewer side effects compared to those of oral drugs, 3.60/5.00 for psychological stability, 3.81/5.00 for easiness to use, and 3.06/5.00 for economic satisfaction. Of the patients that used CAM, 55.9% did not consult with doctors about CAM. More than two-thirds of the patients (77.1%) did not feel the need to consult with doctors.

Keywords: complementary and alternative medicine; diabetic patient; perception

Notes

This research was supported by the Pukyong National University Research Fund in 2009 (PK-2009-69)

References

1. American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes. Diabetes Care 2009. 32(Suppl 1)S13–S61.

2. Barr EL, Zimmet PZ, Welborn TA, Jolley D, Magliano DJ, Dunstan DW, Cameron AJ, Dwyer T, Taylor HR, Tonkin AM, Wong TY, Mcneil J, Shaw JE. Risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in individuals with diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose, and impaired glucose tolerance: the Australian diabetes,obesity, and lifestyle study (AusDiab). Circulation 2007. 116(2)151–157.

3. Bell RA, Suerken CK, Grzywacz JG, Lang W, Quandt SA, Arcury TA. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults with diabetes in the United States. Altern Ther Health Med 2006. 12(5)16–22.

4. Chae BJ, Song BJ, Kim SS, Kim SK, Jun KH, Song KY, Chin HM, Kim W, Park CH, Park SM, Lim KW, Kim SN, Jeon HM. Use of complementary and alternative medicine by gastric cancer patients. J Korean Surg Soc 2007. 72(5)369–378.

5. Cho MR, Choue RW. A study of folk remedies in type 2 diabetic patients. Korean J Nutr 1998. 31(7)1151–1157.

6. Cho NH. Prevalence of diabetes and management status in Korean population. Korean J Med 2005. 68(1)1–3.

7. Choi YJ, Chung HW, Choi SY. A study on the use of alternative medicine for cancer patients admitted at a hospital. J Korean Public Health Assoc 1998. 24(1)167–181.

8. Clifford RM, Batty KT, Davis W, Davis TME. Prevalence and predictors of complementary medicine usage in diabetes study. J Pharm Pract Res 2003. 33(4)260–264.

9. Hollander JM, Mechanick JI. Complementary and alternative medicine and the management of the metabolic syndrome. J Am Diet Assoc 2008. 108(3)495–509.

10. Kim KR. Diabetes mellitus and folk remedy-actual condition and problem. Proceedings of 1996 Symposium of Korea Diabetes Assoc 1996. 113–118.

11. Kim YS, Chun JH, Park JH, Kang CI. Status and associating factors of complementary and alternative medicine among Korean diabetic patients. J Korean Diabetes Assoc 2000. 24(1)78–89.

12. Annual report on the cause of death statistics in Korea. Korea National Statistical Office 2008. Available from http://www.kostat.go.kr.

13. Lee HS, Lee JS, Lee HP, Jeon CE. Diabetes, depression and doctor- patient relationship. Korean Diabetes J 2009. 33(3)178–182.

14. Lee KW, Hong SB, Min KY, Lee SY, Nam MS, Kim YS, Ahn CW, Cha BS, Kim KR, Lee HC, Lee KW, Park TS. Resurvey of alternative medicine in Korean type 2 diabetes mellitus after 10 years. J Korean Diabetes Assoc 2005. 29(3)231–238.

15. Lee MS. A survey of utilization of complementary alternative medicine in diabetes mellitus. J Korean Acad Nurs 2001. 31(1)7–19.

16. Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. National health & nutrition survey 2008. 52–54.

17. Nam MS, Lee KM, Park HY, Huh KB, Lee HC, Lim SK, Lee EJ, Kim KR, Cho JH. A study on the folk remedies by the questionnaries in Korean diabetic patients. Korean Diabetes J 1994. 18(3)242–248.

18. Mikhail N, Wali S, Ziment I. Use of alternative medicine among Hispanics. J Altern Complement Med 2004. 10(5)851–859.

19. What is complementary and alternative medicine? National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine 1998. Available from http://altmed.od.nih.gov/nccam/what-is-cam.

20. Al-Rowais NA. Herbal medicine in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Saudi Med J 2002. 23(11)1327–1331.

21. Ock SM, Choi JY, Cha YS, Lee JB, Chun MS, Huh CH, Lee SY, Lee SJ. The use of complementary and alternative medicine in a general population in South Korea: results from a national survey in 2006. J Korean Med Sci 2009. 24(1)1–6.

22. Park SJ. Experiences of the complementary and alternative medicine among the diabetic patients in rural area 2003. Inje University; 6–10. MS thesis.

23. Yoon TH. Affecting factors of complementary and alternative medicine use by patients in a rheumatology hospital in Seoul 2004. Seoul National University; 9–13. MS thesis.

24. Zimmet P, Alberti KG, Shaw J. Global and societal implications of the diabetes epidemic. Nature 2001. 414(6865)782–787.