title: Attitudes of Hong Kong Chinese to traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine: survey and cluster analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether within a cohort of Hong Kong out-patients definable subtypes exist based on their attitudes to traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected using a structured questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample of 503 subjects was recruited at two local outpatient clinics in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study employs demographic variables, illness status, the Chinese-Western Medical Belief Scale, trust of physicians and subjects' preferences on consultation fees, attitude of health care professional, efficacy of service and waiting time during consultation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A cluster analysis yielded three clusters based on their attitudes towards traditional Chinese and Western medicine. One cluster, 24% of the sample, is noted for being older, poorer, more likely to be female and to have chronic conditions; they are sceptical of western physicians. The second cluster (63% of the sample) is younger and have considerably more belief in Western than traditional Chinese medicine. The third group (14%) is intermediate in age and is noted for a marked faith in both forms of medicine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A clear profile of these attitudes of Hong Kong Chinese may benefit health care professionals in making appropriate patient-doctor relationships and planning patient care.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, PR China.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: C K Y
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: D H C
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires