Am J Public Health. 2002 Dec; 92(12): 1994-2000.

Knowledge of, attitudes toward, and experience of complementary and alternative medicine in Western medicine- and oriental medicine-trained physicians in Korea.

Lee SI, Khang YH, Lee MS, Kang W.

Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

OBJECTIVES: We compared knowledge of, attitudes toward, and experience with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among Western medicine-trained doctors (WMDs) and Oriental medicine-trained doctors (OMDs). METHODS: In Korea, 502 WMDs and 500 OMDs were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: OMDs held more favorable attitudes toward CAM than did WMDs. OMDs possessed a deeper understanding of and greater experience with CAM. OMDs more readily endorsed health beliefs congruent with CAM. CONCLUSIONS: In the future, CAM can be more readily used by OMDs than by WMDs. Because evidence for the effectiveness of CAM remains sparse, more research is needed for the prudent use of CAM in Korea. An education and training system for potential CAM providers remains to be developed.