Abstract

Fei-Na Chen1 , Yu-Chi Hou2 , Pei-Dawn Lee Chao2 , Bao-Lien Houng 3

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors which are related to the behaviors of patients who visited both Chinese Medicine (CM) clinics and Western Medicine (WM) clinics, as well as using medications of CM and WM in the same day. The questionnaire was developed according to a series of discussions from an expertise group. Two thousand patients who visited outpatient clinics at China Medical University Hospital were randomly selected and recruited voluntarily by interviewers who had been trained in interview skills. The descriptive analysis and stepwise logistic regressions were used. The survey response rate was 78.4% and the average age of participants was 47.3 (SD=16.3) years. Among those who visited WM or CM clinics within past three years (n=1799), 58.6% visited both WM and CM clinics. Females with higher education who were younger than 40 years old and who used more health-related supplements have a significantly higher tendency to visit both kinds of clinics. Those patients with chronic bronchitis, chronic hepatitis, gynecological diseases, allergies and exercise injuries were more likely to visit both clinics. Moreover, among those who visited both clinics (n=1054), 61.5% (n=648) were likely to co-medicate with WM and CM in the same day. Despite having some limitations, this study did demonstrate the high prevalence of co-use and co-medication of CM and WM in Taiwan. Patients with chronic diseases or long-term intake of medicines and young educated women are at a high risk of developing drug toxicity.