米子市民における代替医療の実態把握とその問題点

抄録

Interest in health has been increasing due to the current healing boom and frequent reports on the topic of health foods. We surveyed people in Yonago, Japan concerning alternative medicine and attitudes towards it using an unsigned, self-entry type questionnaire in order to clarify their understanding of alternative medicine, their use of it and ascertain the problems. Between April and June 2003, the questionnaire was given to 1, 913 men and women aged 20 to 82 years who resided or worked in Yonago City, of whom 1, 326 responded. Out of this number, the responses of 1, 245 (65.1 %) were valid and analyzed. The results obtained were compared among age groups.
Over 60 % of respondents were aware of the various kinds of alternative medicine and over 90 % of them had tried one form or another. Individual rates of use of alternative medicine, however, differed with age. As for means of treatment, 59.3 % used Western medicine only, 28.1 % used Western medicine together with alternative medicine and 12.6% used alternative medicine only.
In conclusion, when using alternative medicine together with Western medicine, people should ask their doctors whether the alternative medicine they would like to use is appropriate. Doctors should also ask patients whether they are using any alternative medicine. In the future, it will become more and more important for us to understand the purpose of alternative medicine and to use it responsibly on the basis of correct information concerning it.