• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2017

Objectives: Natural environment therapy is considered as an option for atopic dermatitis. This study was aimed to examine the beneficial effects of natural environment therapy among patients with atopic dermatitis who have moved in an atopy-free village. Methods: The questionnaire-based survey was conducted from parents of 20 children with atopic dermatitis (12 male and 8 female, median age 8 years, ranging from 6 to 13 years). The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions for the changes of two typical symptoms of pruritus and sleeping difficulty after moving into an atopy-free village. Results: 75.0% and 88.9% of patients have a family history (at least one parent and one of siblings respectively) of allergic disorders. The median staying period of patients was 27.6 months (ranging from 2 to 55 months). The score indicating pruritus was significantly improved from $6.2{\pm}2.8$ into $4.8{\pm}1.8$ (p<0.05), and sleeping difficulty was also improved from $5.7{\pm}2.9$ into $4.3{\pm}2.1$ (p<0.05) too. Conclusions: This study suggests that the natural environmental therapies could be a choice for patients with atopic dermatitis, which should be studied further for their scientific evidence and mechanisms.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the effects of atopic care program through observing atopic patients who have lived in atopic-free village located Geumsan of Chungnam province. Methods Seventeen children (boy 7, and girl 10) with atopic dermatitis had moved into atopic-free village of Geumsan, and they have been cared with atopic care program. Atopic dermatitis symptoms were measured every month using SCORAD (Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis) and EASI (Eczema Area and Severity Index) from March, 2012 to September, 2013. The changes of scores were analyzed using paired t-test. Results The median month of residence period was 19.9 months (range from 6 to 42 months). The atopic symptoms were significantly improved on SCORAD (p<0.01) and EASI (p<0.1) respectively. Conclusion Despite the limitation of the small number of study subjects, this study may provide the possibility of natural environment-based therapy for children with atopic dermatitis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.34-40
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• 2014

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the demand for natural environment therapy among parents of patients with atopic dermatitis. Methods: The questionnaire-based survey was conducted on the parents of 310 patients with atopic dermatitis (158 male and 152 female, median age 8 years, ranging from 2 to 21 years). The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions including demographic information, preference of environmental therapy and related choices. Results: Regardless of illness severity or gender, parents agreed with the importance of environmental therapy in treatment for atopic dermatitis. 55.2% of parents had considered moving to the countryside for their children with atopic dermatitis. 74.5% of parents answered positively to the possibility of movement to an atopy-free village, and this rate was significantly higher in parents of patients with severe symptoms (p < 0.05). Educational facilities and eco-environment were considered to be the most important factors in their decision. In addition, parents opted for organic food cooperatives, which was also felt necessary for their children suffering from atopic dermatitis. Conclusions: This study is the first report suggesting the extent of demand for environmental therapies among patients with atopic dermatitis. This information will be helpful in developing therapeutics using the natural environment in Korean medicine.