Public health policy and practice
Strengths and weaknesses of traditional Chinese medicine and
Western medicine in the eyes of some Hong Kong Chinese
T P Lam
Family Medicine
Unit, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 3/F,
Apleichau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Apleichau, Hong Kong
Correspondence to: Dr Lam (tplam{at}hku.hk)
Accepted for publication 13 May 2001
OBJECTIVE
To explore
the attitudes of Hong Kong Chinese towards the strengths and weaknesses
of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine.
DESIGNQualitative
study of subjects' opinions using semi-structured focus group interviews.
SETTINGSouthern
district of Hong Kong Island where many of the residents have a
fisherman background.
PARTICIPANTSTwenty
nine participants took part in eight focus group interviews.
Measurements and main
resultsParticipants' attitudes towards TCM and
Western medicine were explored in the interviews. Both TCM and Western
medicine are used concurrently by many people in Hong Kong. Patients
make decisions on which type of doctors they want to see for the
specific illnesses that they are suffering from. They consider both
types of medicines to have strengths and weaknesses: TCM being better
in curing the root of the problem but quite slow in action while
Western medicine is more powerful but sometimes too powerful with
significant side effects.
CONCLUSIONSIt is
important for medical practitioners to be aware of the health attitudes
of their patients from different ethnic backgrounds. It will lead to a
better patient-doctor relationship and better compliance of treatment.
Keywords: Chinese medicine
© 2001 by Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
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