Korean medicine inpatient care: trends and influencing factors

Despite the high preference and effectiveness of Korean medicine inpatient care (KMIC), including herbal medicine and acupuncture, South Korea's national health insurance coverage for Korean medicine remains limited, accounting for only 4% of the total national health insurance expenditures. We aimed to analyze the status and related factors of KMIC for better integration and resource allocation.

This cross-sectional study included 1,362 inpatient care users from 2022 Korea Health Panel Survey data. To examine factors associated with the use of KMIC, weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted using survey sampling weights based on Andersen's behavioral model. To summarize patient experiences, satisfaction, and KMIC or conventional medicine inpatient care (CMIC) use, weighted estimates were calculated using survey sampling weights.

Female gender (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 3.26 [1.18, 9.01]) and regular physical activity (2.15 [1.13, 4.09]) were associated with a greater likelihood of KMIC use. The likelihood of KMIC use was also greater in individuals aged 45-59 years than in those aged 19-44 years (3.11 [1.24, 7.79]), and in residents of Gwangju/Jeolla/Jeju than in those of Seoul/Incheon/Gyeonggi/Gangwon (7.35 [3.35, 16.13]). Moreover, individuals with poor/very poor perceived health status showed a greater likelihood of KMIC use than those with very good/good perceived health status (3.06 [1.05, 8.94]). Musculoskeletal disorders were the primary diagnosis for both KMIC and CMIC use. Patient satisfaction was rated as "very satisfied" or "satisfied" in 70%-82% of cases of KMIC use, except in the category of hospitalization costs.

Korean medicine inpatient care (KMIC) use was more common among females, individuals with poor subjective health status, and individuals engaging in regular physical activity. Patients primarily used KMIC for the treatment of accidents and musculoskeletal disorders and generally reported high levels of satisfaction.