Traditional Korean Medicine Home Care for the Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea

Soo-Hyun Sung, You-Sang Baik, Ji-Eun Han, Eun-Jin Lee, Jihye Kim, Minjung Park, Ji-Yeon Lee, Jang-Kyung Park, Jung-Youn Park and Eunkyung Lee
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Soo-Hyun Sung: Department of Policy Development, National Development Institute of Korean Medicine, Seoul 04554, Korea
You-Sang Baik: Department of Policy Development, National Development Institute of Korean Medicine, Seoul 04554, Korea
Ji-Eun Han: Department of Policy Development, National Development Institute of Korean Medicine, Seoul 04554, Korea
Eun-Jin Lee: Department of Policy Development, National Development Institute of Korean Medicine, Seoul 04554, Korea
Jihye Kim: Research Institute of Korean Medicine Policy, The Association of Korean Medicine, Seoul 07525, Korea
Minjung Park: National Agency for Development of Innovative Technologies in Korean Medicine, Seoul 07525, Korea
Ji-Yeon Lee: National Agency for Development of Innovative Technologies in Korean Medicine, Seoul 07525, Korea
Jang-Kyung Park: Department of Korean Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Jung-Youn Park: Department of Health and Welfare, Yuhan University, Bucheon 14780, Korea
Eunkyung Lee: Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Korea

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the status of community care services regarding traditional Korean medicine (TKM) for older adults and raise awareness on current opinions and services of TKM institutions. Methods: The National Development Institute of Korean Medicine conducted a survey of 16 local governments by sending official letters through an electronic document system from October 2020 to November 2020. The survey items included basic demographic information and information about TKM service. Results: Eleven (68.8%) of the 16 local governments provided TKM home care services. A total of 136 TKM clinics provided home care services for 598 older adults with musculoskeletal disorders. The number of TKM services provided in five or more local governments were cupping 11 (100.0%), acupuncture 11 (100.0%), education and consulting 10 (90.9%), and moxibustion 9 (81.8%). Moreover, pain (recorded on visual analogue scale) and quality of life significantly improved following TKM services ( p < 0.001). Conclusions: Covered under medical policy, TKM homecare services could function as a viable alternative for continued medical care disrupted during the coronavirus disease 19 pandemic. In addition, standardisation and legalisation of these services could ensure and improve their efficiency.

Keywords: public medical services; community home care; traditional Korean medicine; COVID-19 pandemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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