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Survey of Korean Medicine Military Doctors for Establishing Clinical Evidence of Korean Medicine Treatment in Military Medical Service

Article information

J Korean Med. 2017;38(3):73-85
Publication date (electronic) : 2017 September 30
doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.17026
O-Jin Kwon1,†, Eun-Jung Kim2,†, Yu-Sik Eom3, Sang-Min Park4, Dongsu Kim5, Hyo-Ju Park1, Joo-Hee Kim1,
1Clinical Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine
2College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University
3Armed Forces Capital Hospital
4Kyunghee 123 Korean Medical Clinic
5KM Standards Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine
Correspondence to：김주희(Joo-Hee Kim) 대전시 유성구 유성대로 1672한국한의학연구원 임상연구부 Tel：+82-42-223-4052, Fax：+82-42-223-2955, E-mail : jhkim714@kiom.re.kr
†

공동1저자로 본 연구에 동일하게 기여하였음.

Received 2017 August 7; Revised 2017 September 18; Accepted 2017 September 18.

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of Korean medicine treatment, and to analyze problems and demands to provide basic data on Korean medicine in military medical services.

Methods

This survey was completed by 30 volunteer Korean medicine military doctors on service via a web-based questionnaire system. The questionnaire was developed through in-depth interviews with Korean medicine military doctors and consisted of general information on the subject, overall characteristics of the medical environment, current status of Korean medicine care in each workplace, problems and needs, and related clinical evidence and education.

Results

Korean medicine military doctors administered acupuncture treatment most frequently in clinical practice. The most common complaints were related to musculoskeletal diseases, which accounted for 86.5% of all diseases, including those of the respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems. Most of the problems in Korean medicine care were pointed out as being due to a lack of awareness of Korean medicine in the military. Many doctors were aware that it is necessary to establish clinical evidence for Korean medicine in the military, and were also positive about the possibility of performing clinical research in the military, but the experience of actual participation in clinical research or related education was uncommon.

Conclusions

Korean medicine military treatment differs from private medical care due to the specificity of each workplace and the military medical system. In the future, it will be necessary to establish an appropriate Korean medicine treatment model in the military suitable for these characteristics and strategic plans for clinical evidence.

Keywords: military medicine; Korean medicine; clinical evidence; Korean medicine military doctor; survey
Fig. 1

Korean medicine treatment available in workplace and the most frequent treatment

Fig. 2

The most frequent outpatient disease

Fig. 3

Korean medicine treatment of the frequent outpatient disease

Fig. 4

Disease priority in military medical service

The Type and Region of Workplace

The Specialty and Number of Military Doctors

The Equipments and Supplies Available in Workplace

Distribution of Disease Categories for Korean Medicine Visit in Military Medicine

Type of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Problems of Korean Medicine Military Medical Service

Preference of Korean Medicine Treatment

Necessity of Establishing Clinical Evidence of Korean Medicine Treatment in Military Medical Service

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Article information Continued

Copyright © 2017 The Society of Korean Medicine all rights reserved

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Korean medicine treatment available in workplace and the most frequent treatment

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

The most frequent outpatient disease

Fig. 3

Fig. 3

Korean medicine treatment of the frequent outpatient disease

Fig. 4

Fig. 4

Disease priority in military medical service

Table 1

The Type and Region of Workplace

Hospital Division Regiment/Battalion Etc Total
Seoul 1(3.3%) 1(3.3%) 1(3.3%) 4(13.3%) 7(23.3%)
Gyeonggi-do 0(0.0%) 8(26.7%) 2(6.7%) 0(0.0%) 10(33.3%)
Gangwon-do 1(3.3%) 3(10.0%) 1(3.3%) 1(3.3%) 6(20.0%)
Etc 1(3.3%) 2(6.7%) 1(3.3%) 3(10.0%) 7(23.3%)
Total 3(10.0%) 14(46.7%) 5(16.7%) 8(26.7%) 30(100.0%)

Table 2

The Specialty and Number of Military Doctors

Hospital Division Regiment/Battalion Etc Total
Internal medicine 3(100.0%)/3.7 14(100.0%)/1.4 2(40.0%)/0.8 5(62.5%)/0.8 24(80.0%)/1.3
Surgery 3(100.0%)/1.3 4(28.6%)/0.3 1(20.0%)/0.4 2(25.0%)/0.4 10(33.3%)/0.4
Orthopedic surgery 3(100.0%)/2.7 13(92.9%)/1.0 4(80.0%)/0.8 7(87.5%)/1.0 27(90.0%)/1.1
Neurosurgery 2(66.7%)/1.0 2(14.3%)/0.1 0(0.0%)/0.0 1(12.5%)/0.1 5(16.7%)/0.2
Psychiatry 1(33.3%)/0.7 12(85.7%)/0.9 0(0.0%)/0.0 1(12.5%)/0.1 14(46.7%)/0.5
Otolaryngology 3(100.0%)/1.7 5(35.7%)/0.4 1(20.0%)/0.2 2(25.0%)/0.3 11(36.7%)/0.4
Dermatology 3(100.0%)/1.0 4(28.6%)/0.3 1(20.0%)/0.2 1(12.5%)/0.1 9(30.0%)/0.3
Dentistry 3(100.0%)/3.7 13(92.9%)/2.3 1(20.0%)/0.6 3(37.5%)/0.6 20(66.7%)/1.7
Other 2(66.7%)/1.0 2(14.3)/0.1 2(40.0%)/1.0 3(37.5%)/1.3 9(30.0%)/0.7

Table 3

The Equipments and Supplies Available in Workplace

Hospital Division Regiment/Battalion Etc Total
X-ray 3(100.0%) 14(100.0%) 3(60.0%) 5(62.5%) 25(83.3%)
CT 2(66.7%) 1(7.1%) 0(0.0%) 0(0.0%) 3(10.0%)
MRI 2(66.7%) 0(0.0%) 0(0.0%) 0(0.0%) 2(6.7%)
Laboratory test 3(100%) 11(78.6%) 1(20.0%) 1(12.5%) 16(53.3%)
Acupuncture 3(100.0%) 14(100.0%) 5(100.0%) 8(100.0%) 30(100.0%)
EA 3(100.0%) 6(42.9%) 4(80.0%) 2(25.0%) 15(50.0%)
Pharmacopuncture 2(66.7%) 3(21.4%) 2(40.0%) 1(12.5%) 8(26.7%)
Moxibustion 3(100.0%) 12(85.7%) 5(100.0%) 5(62.5%) 25(83.3%)
Cupping 3(100.0%) 14(100.0%) 5(100.0%) 6(75.0%) 28(93.3%)
Taping 2(66.7%) 9(64.3%) 5(100.0%) 6(75.0%) 22(73.3%)
Physical therapy 3(100.0%) 14(100.0%) 3(60.0%) 5(62.5%) 25(83.3%)
Chuna bed 3(100.0%) 0(0.0%) 1(20.0%) 2(25.0%) 6(20.0%)
Herbal medicine 3(100.0%) 14(100.0%) 4(80.0%) 7(87.5%) 28(93.3%)
Etc 1(33.3%) 1(7.1%) 2(40.0%) 0(0.0%) 4(13.3%)

CT; Computed Tomography, MRI; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Electroacupuncture; EA

Table 4

Distribution of Disease Categories for Korean Medicine Visit in Military Medicine

Hospital Division Regiment/Battalion Etc Total
Musculoskeletal 80.0% 88.8% 84.0% 86.3% 86.5%
Digestive 6.0% 3.6% 4.4% 4.6% 4.2%
Respiratory 5.0% 3.8% 7.0% 4.5% 4.6%
Neurological 8.3% 2.9% 4.6% 2.7% 3.7%
Etc 0.7% 0.9% 0.0% 1.9% 0.9%

Table 5

Type of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Hospital Division Regiment/Battalion Etc Total
Neck 25.0% 14.9% 18.0% 15.7% 16.7%
Shoulder 18.3% 9.4% 15.0% 14.3% 12.5%
Lowback 33.3% 49.1% 26.0% 22.1% 37.0%
Knee 6.7% 10.0% 13.0% 14.3% 11.2%
Ankle 15.0% 15.7% 26.0% 31.4% 21.2%
Etc 1.7% 0.9% 2.0% 2.1% 1.4%

Table 6

Problems of Korean Medicine Military Medical Service

Hospital Division Regiment/Battalion Etc Total
The location and condition of workplaces 33.3% 21.4% 20.0% 25.0% 23.3%
Process of treatment, transfer, and approval system 0.0% 14.3% 0.0% 12.5% 10.0%
Facilities and budget 33.3% 42.9% 60.0% 75.0% 53.3%
Lack of recognition of Korean medicine 33.3% 71.4% 60.0% 62.5% 63.3%

Table 7

Preference of Korean Medicine Treatment

Very low Low Medium High Very high
Hospital 0(0.0%) 1(33.3%) 0(0.0%) 0(0.0%) 2(66.7%)
Division 2(14.3%) 4(28.6%) 1(7.1%) 6(42.9%) 1(7.1%)
Regiment/Battalion 0(0.0%) 0(0.0%) 1(20.0%) 4(80.0%) 0(0.0%)
Etc 1(12.5%) 3(37.5%) 2(25.0%) 2(25.0%) 0(0.0%)
Acu/Mox 0(0.0%) 6(35.3%) 3(17.6%) 7(41.2%) 1(5.9%)
Internal 1(14.3%) 1(14.3%) 1(14.3%) 3(42.9%) 1(14.3%)
Etc 2(33.3%) 1(16.7%) 0(0.0%) 2(33.3%) 1(16.7%)
Seoul 0(0.0%) 1(14.3%) 2(28.6%) 4(57.1%) 0(0.0%)
Gyeonggi-do 1(10.0%) 1(10.0%) 1(10.0%) 6(60.0%) 1(10.0%)
Gangwon-do 0(0.0%) 3(50.0%) 0(0.0%) 2(33.3%) 1(16.7%)
Etc 2(28.6%) 3(42.9%) 1(14.3%) 0(0.0%) 1(14.3%)
First-year 0(0.0%) 1(16.7%) 1(16.7%) 3(50.0%) 1(16.7%)
Second-year 1(16.7%) 3(50.0%) 1(16.7%) 1(16.7%) 0(0.0%)
Third-year 2(13.3%) 4(26.7%) 1(6.7%) 8(53.3%) 0(0.0%)
Long-service 0(0.0%) 0(0.0%) 1(33.3%) 0(0.0%) 2(66.7%)
Total 3(10.0%) 8(26.7%) 4(13.3%) 12(40.0%) 3(10.0%)

Table 8

Necessity of Establishing Clinical Evidence of Korean Medicine Treatment in Military Medical Service

Clinical evidence Manual Education
None 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Little 0.0% 6.9% 3.3%
Medium 27.6% 17.2% 43.3%
Necessary 34.5% 48.3% 43.3%
Very necessary 37.9% 27.6% 10.0%
Average likert score 4.10 3.97 3.60