Perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms: a web-based survey of Korean medicine doctors
Background: Most women experiencing menopause have sought out traditional treatment options to relieve their symptoms. The aim of this study, which used a web-based survey, was to investigate perceptions of Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) on managing menopausal symptoms with herbal medicines. Methods...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Integrative Medicine Research |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422019301842 |
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| author | Ji Hee Jun Hye Won Lee Jiae Choi Tae-Young Choi Ju Ah Lee Ho-Yeon Go Myeong Soo Lee |
| author_facet | Ji Hee Jun Hye Won Lee Jiae Choi Tae-Young Choi Ju Ah Lee Ho-Yeon Go Myeong Soo Lee |
| author_sort | Ji Hee Jun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Most women experiencing menopause have sought out traditional treatment options to relieve their symptoms. The aim of this study, which used a web-based survey, was to investigate perceptions of Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) on managing menopausal symptoms with herbal medicines. Methods: We developed and then sent a questionnaire via email to a total 497 KMDs in obstetrics and gynecology affiliated with the Society of Korean Medicine. The questionnaire consisted of three categories and a total of 26 items focusing on major menopausal symptoms, prescriptions, pattern identification, and background characteristics. Results: Out of the 497 KMDs, we received responses from 48 doctors, a response rate of 9.7%. The most common symptoms of menopausal disorder perceived by responded KMDs were hot flashes (22.9%), sleep disorders (18.2%), systemic fatigue (12.5%), and sweating (12.0%). The herbal medicines reported to be the most effective when treating patients with menopausal disorders were Jiawei shaoyao-san (12.5%), Jiawei guipi-decoction (11.8%). The responding KMDs recommended one to two months of treatment for female menopausal disorder, using two to three doses of herbal medicine per day in combination with traditional Korean medicine (KM) therapies such as acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and pharmacopuncture. Conclusion: The results of this survey may provide information about doctor’s perceptions on using herbal medicines to manage patient’s menopausal symptoms. Future studies should be done with a larger sample size to overcome the limitation of this study and to examine how KM is used for treating menopausal symptoms in clinical practice. Keywords: Menopausal symptoms, Herbal medicines, Web-based survey |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1096d36e107742b99a9ec5443d6f3c2d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2213-4220 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Integrative Medicine Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-1096d36e107742b99a9ec5443d6f3c2d2025-08-20T03:04:07ZengElsevierIntegrative Medicine Research2213-42202019-12-018422923310.1016/j.imr.2019.08.004Perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms: a web-based survey of Korean medicine doctorsJi Hee Jun0Hye Won Lee1Jiae Choi2Tae-Young Choi3Ju Ah Lee4Ho-Yeon Go5Myeong Soo Lee6Clinical Medicine Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon, South KoreaHerbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South KoreaIntegrative Health Promotion Team, Korea Health Promotion Institute, Seoul, South KoreaClinical Medicine Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South KoreaHwa-pyeong Institute of Integrative Medicine, Incheon, South KoreaInternal Medicine College of Korean Medicine, Semyung University, Chungju, South KoreaClinical Medicine Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea; Corresponding author at: Clinical Medicine Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 1672 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34054, South Korea.Background: Most women experiencing menopause have sought out traditional treatment options to relieve their symptoms. The aim of this study, which used a web-based survey, was to investigate perceptions of Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) on managing menopausal symptoms with herbal medicines. Methods: We developed and then sent a questionnaire via email to a total 497 KMDs in obstetrics and gynecology affiliated with the Society of Korean Medicine. The questionnaire consisted of three categories and a total of 26 items focusing on major menopausal symptoms, prescriptions, pattern identification, and background characteristics. Results: Out of the 497 KMDs, we received responses from 48 doctors, a response rate of 9.7%. The most common symptoms of menopausal disorder perceived by responded KMDs were hot flashes (22.9%), sleep disorders (18.2%), systemic fatigue (12.5%), and sweating (12.0%). The herbal medicines reported to be the most effective when treating patients with menopausal disorders were Jiawei shaoyao-san (12.5%), Jiawei guipi-decoction (11.8%). The responding KMDs recommended one to two months of treatment for female menopausal disorder, using two to three doses of herbal medicine per day in combination with traditional Korean medicine (KM) therapies such as acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and pharmacopuncture. Conclusion: The results of this survey may provide information about doctor’s perceptions on using herbal medicines to manage patient’s menopausal symptoms. Future studies should be done with a larger sample size to overcome the limitation of this study and to examine how KM is used for treating menopausal symptoms in clinical practice. Keywords: Menopausal symptoms, Herbal medicines, Web-based surveyhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422019301842 |
| spellingShingle | Ji Hee Jun Hye Won Lee Jiae Choi Tae-Young Choi Ju Ah Lee Ho-Yeon Go Myeong Soo Lee Perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms: a web-based survey of Korean medicine doctors Integrative Medicine Research |
| title | Perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms: a web-based survey of Korean medicine doctors |
| title_full | Perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms: a web-based survey of Korean medicine doctors |
| title_fullStr | Perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms: a web-based survey of Korean medicine doctors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms: a web-based survey of Korean medicine doctors |
| title_short | Perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms: a web-based survey of Korean medicine doctors |
| title_sort | perceptions of using herbal medicines for managing menopausal symptoms a web based survey of korean medicine doctors |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422019301842 |
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