Prevalence and determinants of the use of traditional Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.
We studied 2,822 subjects above 18 years of age in Hong Kong by random telephone interview to assess the role of traditional Chinese medicine in health care. During their most recent illness, 73% consulted Western doctors, 17% self-medicated while 9% consulted herbalists. Age and education were important determinants of their health care choice. The most common reason given for their choice was faith in the practitioners they consulted. When they needed further consultation for the same illness, 42% consulted herbalists, illustrating that herbalists played an important supplementary role when Western medicine failed to provide relief. Compared with previous findings, there appeared to be little decline in the popularity of traditional Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.
Department of Community and Family Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Lek Yuen Health Centre, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
T W
TW
Wong
S L
SL
Wong
S P
SP
Donnan
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires