Table 1 Demographic characteristics and clinical practice patterns of Korean Medicine doctors surveyed
Factors |  | mean ± sd/n (%) |
|---|---|---|
Age (years) |  | 38.6 ± 6.2 |
| Â | 30-39 | 85 (69.7) |
| Â | 40-49 | 27 (22.1) |
|  | ≥50 | 10 (8.2) |
Gender | Â | Â |
| Â | Male | 123 (100) |
| Â | Female | 0 (0) |
Clinical experience (years) |  | 12.1 ± 5.5 |
|  | 5 ≤ ≤10 | 44 |
|  | 11 ≤ ≤15 | 48 |
|  | 16 ≤ ≤20 | 19 |
|  | ≥21 | 12 |
Level of healthcare facility of currently affiliated institutiona | Â | Â |
| Â | Primary clinic | 39 (32) |
| Â | Secondary facility | 83 (68) |
Highest academic degree | Â | Â |
|  | Bachelor’s | 30 (24.4) |
|  | Master’s | 44 (35.8) |
| Â | Ph. D. | 49 (39.8) |
Specialist training | Â | Â |
| Â | Yes (specialist) | 94 (76.4) |
| Â | No | 29 (23.6) |
Specialty (if applicable) | Â | Â |
| Â | The Society of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation | 30 (31.9) |
| Â | Korean Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine Society | 27 (28.7) |
| Â | The Society of Internal Korean Medicine | 24 (25.5) |
| Â | Other | 13 (13.8) |
Extracurricular trainingb | Â | Â |
| Â | Yes | 120 (97.6) |
| Â | No | 3 (2.4) |
Number of lumbar intervertebral disc displacement outpatients/day |  | 16.1 ± 7.2 |
Usage rate of treatment (multiple responses allowed) | Â | Â |
| Â | Acupuncture | 123 (100) |
| Â | Chuna manipulation | 120 (97.6) |
| Â | Herbal medicine | 118 (95.9) |
| Â | Pharmacopuncture | 118 (95.9) |
| Â | Cupping | 109 (88.6) |
| Â | Bee venom pharmacopuncture | 98 (79.7) |
| Â | Moxibustion | 2 (1.6) |
Average length of treatment needed for 50 % pain decrease (weeks) |  | 4.3 ± 1.9 |
Average length of treatment needed for 80 % pain decrease (weeks) |  | 9.6 ± 3.5 |