While the western medical treatment is the main stream in the world, another alternative one and Chinese traditional one have played important roles everywhere. Moreover, Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation can replace the functions of rehabilitation medicine. The purpose of this study is to analyze how people use Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation,
rehabilitation medicine and the treatment of both ways in Taiwan. The data come from Chinese medicine and rehabilitation medicine files of the National Health Insurance, released by the National Health Research Institutes in 2004. Statistical analysis was performed by using the SPSS 13.0 system. The data were analyzed by using T test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Multiple Regression analysis was used to explore its related factors.
The hypotheses were as followings:
Hypothesis 1: The demographic characteristics are different among Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation, rehabilitation medicine and
integrated treatment.
Hypothesis 2: The disease patterns are different among Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation, rehabilitation medicine and integrated
treatment.
Hypothesis 3: The medical resources are different among Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation, rehabilitation medicine and integrated
treatment.
The utilization of beneficiary and urbanization level in Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation were no significantly difference. Sex, beneficiary, chronic diseases in integrated treatment were no significantly difference, either.
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But other factors were. Thus Hypothesis 1, 2 and 3 are established.
The findings were as followings:
1. People showed much favor to use Chinese traditional traumatologic
manipulation. Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation and rehabilitation medicine have the substituting effects. And integrated treatment had
complementary and substituting effects, too.
2. However, the utilization rate of rehabilitation medicine was higher than Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation and integrated treatment.
3. People who aged 20 to 49 years old, had diseases of ?sprains and strains?
prefer Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation utilization. People aged 45 to 59 and over 75 years old with diseases of ?dorsopahty (disorder of the back) ? would rather to have rehabilitation medicine utilization. And those who aged 45 to 59 years old with diseases of ?dorsopahty (disorder of the
back) ?use integrated treatment more. The results showed that different
demographic characteristic and disease patterns had difference medical services utilization.
4. Demographic characteristic: The utilization of Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation medical services increased with age; the utilization of
rehabilitation medicine medical services are shown as the ?J? curve.
Beneficiaries category as category ? ?low income?and subjects with waived copayment had higher utilization.
5. Disease patterns: The patients with chronic diseases or major illness had higher medical services utilization. Thus, different disease had different medical
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services utilization.
6. Medical resources: Utilization rate of Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation and integrated treatment was higher at local hospitals.
Treatment needs increased as medical resources increased.
7. The related factors of utilization of Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation, rehabilitation medicine and integrated treatment were age, insurance area, copayment, disease patterns and medical resources.
Some suggestions for future studies and policy makers in the government are:
1. Evidence-base medicine and cost-effectiveness studies should be conducted for further development of Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation,
rehabilitation medicine and integrated treatment.
2. There should be more other variables to analyze the utilization of Chinese traditional traumatologic manipulation, rehabilitation medicine and integrated treatment completely.
3. There should be panel studies to analyze the utilization and to explore its related factors of characteristics of population at risk and disease patterns.
4. Self-paying of medical treatment should be included to explore the utilization of medical expenditure.
