西方醫學以治療疾病為主，使用科學的方法驗證治療結果，成功控制許多疾病，降低死亡率，增加人類的壽命。而隨著預防醫學的概念興起，強調自然養生的另類/輔助療法，逐漸受到重視。本研究希望能瞭解國人使用另類/輔助療法的現況、影響另類/輔助療法使用的因素、以及國人比較另類/輔助療法與西醫之看法。本研究可及母群體為登錄在彰化及南投地區住宅電話號碼簿中的電話號碼。採隨機抽樣，使用結構性問卷，進行電話訪談來收集資料。資料譯碼後輸入電腦，以SPSS 10.0 for Window 2000進行統計分析，以次數、百分比、平均數、卡方檢定來回答研究問題。共289位民眾完成電話訪談，年齡介於18至88歲之間。受訪者中有86.2%，過去一年至少使用一種另類/輔助療法，以民間療法最多，其次是運動及服用營養補充劑。使用原因主要是為了促進健康。一半以上的民眾不會主動告知醫護人員使用另類/輔助療法。另類/輔助療法使用情形與年齡、性別、教育程度、宗教信仰、職業及有無固定接受西醫治療有關(p<.05)。研究結果可提供醫護專業人員對社區成人使用另類/輔助療法之認識，使主流醫療體系正視另類/輔助療法使用之現象，並主動將另類/輔助療法之使用納入常規健康評估中。
Disease treatment and use of science method to verify effects of the treatment are emphasized by the Western medicine. As a result, diseases are controlled, mortality rate is decreased, and life is prolonged. However, the emergence of preventive medicine makes alternative/complementary therapies gradually become popular. The purpose of this study was to understand the prevalence of use of alternative/complementary therapies in community-dwelling adults, factors related to the use of alternative/complementary therapies, and the opinions about alternative/complementary therapies compared to Western medicine. The accessible population was those who’s phone numbers were listed on the residential phone books of Changhua and Nantou. A random sampling method was used to obtain subjects. A sample of 289 subjects between 18-88 years of age was interviewed by phone and structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Data were analyzed by SPSS 10.0 for Windows 2000. Frequency, percentage, mean and chi-square tests were used to answer research questions. The results of this study revealed that 86.2% of the subjects used at least one type of alternative/complementary therapies in the past year. The most popular therapies were folk therapy, exercise and nutrition supplements. The primary reason for using the therapies was health promotion. Over a half of the users did not spontaneously tell health care professionals that they were using alternative/complementary therapies. Use of alternative/complementary therapies was different in age, sex, educational levels, religion, occupation and Western medical treatment. The results of the study could provide health professionals information to better understand trend of using alternative/complement+G4ary therapies and to include use of alternative/complementary therapies as part of comprehensive health assessment.
