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

O-Jin Kwon; Eun-Jung Kim; Yu-Sik Eom; Sang-Min Park; Dongsu Kim; Hyo-Ju Park; Joo-Hee Kim; Kwon, O-Jin; Kim, Eun-Jung; Eom, Yu-Sik; Park, Sang-Min; Kim, Dongsu; Park, Hyo-Ju; Kim, Joo-Hee

doi:10.13048/jkm.17026

JKM > Volume 38(3); 2017 > Article

Kwon, Kim, Eom, Park, Kim, Park, and Kim: Survey of Korean Medicine Military Doctors for Establishing Clinical Evidence of Korean Medicine Treatment in Military Medical Service

Original Article

The Journal of Korean Medicine 2017; 38(3): 73-85.

Published online: September 30, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.17026

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

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 August 7, 2017 Revised September 18, 2017 Accepted September 18, 2017

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

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

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