• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3 s.71
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• pp.86-99
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• 2007

Objectives : Cancer patients who are afraid of unpleasant therapy and doubt a perfect cure often seek out traditional Korean medicine or many other kinds of complementary and alterative medicine (CAM) instead. This study was carried out in order to learn the prevalence and kinds of the traditional Korean medicine and CAM to evaluate awareness of and attitude toward it. Methods : 213 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone surgery in the department of gastrointestinal surgery and visited for routine follow-up from November to December of 2004 were included. A questionnaire survey was done by trained interviewers for CAM and demographic information. Results : 96.7% of patients had experience with CAM. The kinds and frequencies of CAM were diet and nutrition 21.0%, folk remedy 21.0%, pharmacological treatment 13.5%, oriental medicine 5.3% and mind-body intervention 1.4%. 56.8% of patients had experienced 2-6 kinds of CAM, 37.4% more than 7. Among diet and nutrition, ginseng (62.9%) was highest, followed by ox leg bone soup (50.8%) and pumpkin (31.5%). Among the folk remedies, elm tree was highest at 46.5%, followed by phellinus linteus (Sang-Whang) at 26.8% and ganoderma lucidum (Young-Gee) 20.7%.satisfaction with CAM was relatively low (43.2%), many patients (78.2%) replied that they would use it continuously. Conclusion : Most patients had experience with many kinds of CAM, but didn't discuss it with medical doctors. If scientific study proves whether or not each kind of CAM is actually effective ondisease, it will help to improve the health of patients and prevent the inappropriate usage and cost.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.546-555
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• 1999

Objectives : To determine the prevalence, pattern. and out-of-pocket expenditure of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) utilization in Korean adult population. Methods : We conducted a representative telephone survey of 2,042 persons aged 18 or older. Data about any health problem, details of their use of medical doctors(MDs) offices/hospitals/pharmacies services and CAM during the preceding 12 months were collected with structured questionnaire. Results : The utilization rate of CAM among Korean adults was 29% in one year. A total of 231 kinds of CAM was identified from this survey. Annual out-of-pocket expenditure associated with CAM use in 1998 amounted to ${\xi}{\S}1.88$ billion and was comparable to 40.8% of out-of-pocket expenditure paid for MDs offices/hospitals/pharmacies services. Among those(N=424) who paid for both MDs offices/hospitals/pharmacies services an d CAM, 35.8% paid more for CAM. CAM gave more satisfaction than western medicine to those who had experience of both types of therapy. About half of CAM users were willing to recommend CAM to others. Disclosure rate to physician among CAM users was not high(40.6%). Conclusion : CAM became a popular source of health care in Korea, Korean spent a substantial amount of out-of-pocket money on CAM without any public control. Because CAM use is likely to be increased rapidly through lay referral system, health policy makers and health professionals should pay more attention to CAM for making appropriate utilization of CAM.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.78-87
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• 2020

Objectives: In modern society, many people have low back pain (LBP) and spinal diseases. About 80% of them experience severe LBP more than once in their lifetime. We can find studies on many Korean medicine-based treatments, such as acupuncture treatment for LBP and exercise therapy, which are effective in reducing the symptoms. This study focuses on the combined effect of both Korean medicine and exercise therapy for treating LBP. Method: For this review, we searched for articles focusing on pain and disability recovery in pre-clinical and clinical studies of extension and flexion exercise therapy related to LBP. The search databases were as follows: PubMed, Google Scholar, and seven Korean electronic databases (Korea Citation Index (KCI), Korean studies Information Service System (KISS), Research Information Service System (RISS), Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), DBPIA, National Digital Science Library (NDSL), and KOREAMED). The keywords were as follows: Korean Medicine, back pain, flexion exercise, extension exercise, McKenzie method, McKenzie exercise, Williams' flexion exercise, and Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy. Results & Conclusions: This review shows the usefulness of flexion and extension exercises for LBP treatment and effective patient education, but further studies are necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.107-122
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy for pregnant women. Researches on acupuncture therapy for pregnant women published since 2000 until 2013 were selected and analyzed. Methods: Bibliographic search was carried out using several online database systems using keywords like 'pregnancy', 'pregnant', 'acupuncture', 'forbidden points' within a 13-year time span (2000-2013). Results: 18 journal articles published in Korea and 22 journal articles published abroad were selected. It is reported that acupuncture has significant effect on low back pain and pelvic pain, depression, insomnia during pregnancy. Stimulation of acupuncture during pregnancy seems to be safe with respect to obstetric adverse effects. Conclusions: We can conclude that further investigation is needed to accumulate enough information to establish evidence for acupuncture therapy for pregnant women.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.29-42
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• 2017

Background : Efforts towards increasing insurance coverage for traditional Korean medicine (TKM) are being continued. However, various difficulties are faced in generating evidence for TKM due to limited financial support and the low quality of research methodology. Objectives : The objectives of this study were to review the Swiss evaluation program for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and assess the expansion in public health insurance coverage of complementary medicine as approved by referendum in Switzerland. Methods : The regulations of CAM in the European Union were assessed. Research articles, reports, government publications and websites which deal with the 'Programm Evaluation $Komplement{\ddot{a}}rmedizin$ (PEK)' and the referendum in Switzerland were searched for and analyzed. Results : The PEK was conducted from 1998 to 2005. The PEK evaluated the efficacy, utilization and cost-effectiveness of anthroposophical medicine, homeopathy, neural therapy, phytotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine. However, clear conclusions could not be drawn from the evaluation according to the PEK Report. Later, a referendum was implemented in which 5 therapies would be added to the Switzerland Constitution with the support of the public. The coverage of CAM was approved by Swiss a plebiscite with an approval rate of 67.0%. Conclusions : The reason for the successful referendum is suggested to be public support and the solidarity with CAM experts and politicians. It may be surmised that recognition of the political efforts and scientific aspects required to expand insurance coverage of TKM, and towards obtaining public support, is necessary.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2021

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been used frequently, and its use continues to increase in lung cancer patients, despite insufficient scientific of its efficacy. To investigate this situation, we analyzed the current awareness and use of CAM in Korean lung-cancer patients. Methods: This prospective survey-based study was performed at seven medical centers in South Korea between August and October 2019. The survey assessed general patient characteristics and the awareness and use of CAM. We analyzed differences in the clinical parameters of patients aware and not aware of CAM and of CAM non-users and users. Results: Of the 434 patients included in this study, 68.8% responded that they were aware of CAM and 30.9% said they had experienced it. In univariate analysis, the patients aware of CAM were younger with poor performance status, had advanced-stage lung cancer, received more systemic therapy, and received concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). By multiple logistic regression, younger age, poor performance status, advanced stage, and prior CCRT were identified as independent risk factors for CAM awareness. There were no significant differences in the general characteristics and cancer-associated clinical parameters of CAM non-users and users. Conclusion: Specific clinical parameters were associated with patients' awareness of CAM, although there were no significantly different characteristics between CAM users and non-users.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Neurotherapy
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.43-48
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• 2018

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence, risk factors, characteristics, and interventions of hip joint problems in children with cerebral palsy, and to be able to serve as leverage for early detection, prevention, and function recovery. Method The electronic journal site was searched by the search terms "cerebral palsy", "hip joint", "hip joint dislocation", we analyzed and descript the cited articles from domestic and foreign papers in Pubmed 9, Science Direct 7, and K RISS analysis and analysis. Results Children with cerebral palsy showed the different prevalence according to their disability type, severity, and functional level, and we knew that abnormal neuromuscular control, stiffness, and biomechanical changes could be risk factors. Migration Index, Acetabolum Index, Neck shaft angle using by radiography and passive ROM test, special tests were available for the diagnosis and evaluation of the hip joint. Combination of physical therapy and orthopedic surgery was very important intervention, and complementary alternative therapy, orthosis, and postural assistant are effective. Conclusion We suggested that early detection and prevention is the most important periodic examination and that a multidisciplinary approach is a major factor in intervention.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.275-284
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze tile trends in physiological variables in CAT research in nursing in Korea. Method: Of studies published in Korea between January, 2000 and December, 2005, 227 studies were analyzed according to the criteria of type, theme, and patterns in physiological variables related to CAT. Results: There were 72 articles on CAT research in which physiological variables were examined. The most frequently researched type of CAT was massage and in particular, foot massage. The most frequently used physiological variables in CAT research were blood pressure, pulse, and body temperature. Patients with high blood pressure were the most frequent subjects for CAT research. As to the effect of physiological variable by CAT type, foot massage showed a decline in blood pressure in all six research studies involving patients with high blood pressure. Conclusion: There is a need to describe accurately the mechanism by which CAT affects physiological variables. There is also a need for repetitive analysis to verify the effect, and meta-analysis for the effect on physiological variables according to type of CAT.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.82-95
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• 2003

Our health is intimately connected to the health of our environment. The contemporary world view which sees a radical distinction between humans as subjects and world as object can obscure our recognition of how much we rely on nature for health and survival. Indigenous traditions and contemporary scholars remind us that we live in a universe in which all things are connected, and in which nature continues to offer its gifts in co-creative partnership for the health and wellbeing of all. Living in awareness of our relationship with nature enables us to open more to the experience of nature's nurturing. Many complementary therapies derive from ancient practices that involve nature in healing partnership. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years. Hippocrates claimed that the way to health was through aromatic baths and massages. Much anecdotal evidence exists regarding aromatherapeutic positive effects on recipients. Aromatherapy is a branch of complementary or alternative therapy which is increasing in popularity, yet has scant scientific credibility. Aromatherapy should be defined as treatment using odors and practised as such. However, essential oils are usually used in conjunction with therapeutic massage and often combined with counselling of some kind. Aromatherapy complements and enhances the therapeutic powers of massage. Massage is one of the most wonderful ways to relax and is throughly beneficial to health. Massage can help unknot tense and aching muscles and other minor symptoms of stress, leaving patients fresh and energized. As the use of aromatherapy within a health care setting has grown so rapidly in recent years, and will continue to do so, the need for suitable training has become apparent. No health service can afford the risk of having staff who are inadequately trained in the practice of aromatherapy using essential oils incorrectly on those in a state of ill-health, especially if the essential oils used are not to a standard suitable for therapeutic use. Training to an acceptable level in aromatic therapy is essential for safety and effectiveness. Knowledge of the nature and make-up of essential oils, their effect on the body and the emotions, and how, when, and where to apply them is imperative in order for them to be beneficial to a patient's health. In order to achieve best practice, further research is necessary to explore the use of aromatherapy in the management of multiple disorder.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.113-145
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• 2010

Nowadays, it is surely the quack which stands as one of the most controversial, problematic. the quack has been a consistent target of contested public protection strategies in the past few centuries in many countries. Recently, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly utilized and accepted by patients and providers throughout the health care system in the world, most accounts attribute this growing acceptability to the shortcomings of conventional medicine, the appeal of CAM's core beliefs, and the growing body of research indicating that CAM actually works. However, the governments of western countries have called for measures to ensure that the public are protected from incompetent and dangerous practitioners. Common to these controversies has been a suggestion to ban, exclude or limit the medical practice of those deemed to be damaging rather than improving the health of individuals as a measure of public protection. This article describes the experiences of western counties' health care system which is moving in a more pluralistic direction. By examining the ways in which regulatory efforts in the countries have come to address what is invariably described as a growing interest in CAM, this study show how the problem of CAM/quackery today is increasingly located in an ethical field of practitioner competency, qualifications, conduct, responsibility and personal professional development, regardless of the form of therapy in question. Many countries developed a series of measures and strategies to contain the acceptance of CAM groups, such as insisting on scientific evidence of safety and efficacy, resisting integration of CAM with conventional medicine and opposing government support for research and education. In a sense, those countries' movements serve to protect not only patients, but the dominant position of medicine and its allied professions, and to maintain existing jurisdictional boundaries within the healthcare system. The popular support for CAM will require that health professional stakeholders continue to address the challenges this poses, and at the same time protect their position at healthcare system. To cope with the quack, professional body, public sector and health authorities should consider the safety of consumers of healthcare and responding to the demands of the community for CAM therapies as well as the claims of the established healthcare professions. Finally, some implications for future health care were suggested.