A Survey on Public Perception of Korean Medical Treatment for the Development of Korean Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline and Critical Pathway for Growth Disorders

Objectives The purpose of this study was to understand the public's perception of Korean medical treatment for growth disorders to develop Korean medicine clinical practice guidelines and critical pathways for growth disorders in children and adolescents. Methods A survey was conducted using an online platform targeting 252 adults aged 19 years from May 16, 2021 to May 17, 2021. The questionnaire consisted of questions about the demographic characteristics of respondents; overall perception, experience, and satisfaction with Korean medical treatment for growth disorders; willingness to use or recommend Korean medical treatment for growth disorders; and points for improvement. Results The overall perception of treatment for growth disorders was 3.30 ± 0.892 on a 5-point scale. Concerning the negative reasons, 54.4% of the respondents were concerned about safety; regarding the positive reason, expectations for overall health as well as height growth were the highest at 46.5%. Additionally, there was a high demand for information, such as providing safety information on treatment, presenting evidence for the efficacy of treatment, and standardized clinical process, as points requiring improvement. Conclusions To raise public perception of Korean medical treatment for growth disorders, it is necessary to satisfy the opinions of the public identified through this survey. Therefore, the development and utilization of Korean medicine clinical practice guidelines and critical pathways for growth disorders would play an important role.

성장장애 한의표준임상진료지침 및 한의표준임상경로 개발을 위한 일반인의 한의치료에 대한 인식 조사