ABSTRACT
OBJECT: The Authors compaired the treatment interval, the motive of admission and costs of episodes of back pain care between different provide type in a population representation of the Korea. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We reviewed 100 different patients undergone back pain care from October 1997 to March 1998 in Wonkwang Medical Center. This study was a prospective, nurse community based and observational design. Male were 42 and female were 58, mean age was 51(18-81)years. Patients with back pain had been treated with 62 patients operation and 38 patients conservative treatment. RESULTS: The results were as follows 1. The from preadmmision treatment to admission treatment time is consume over 6 months, that makes chronic phase of back pain until 72%, more than 80% of the patients were admitted after the herb medical treatment. 2. The cost of preadmission treatment is average 1,000,000 won. In the cases of herb medicine are average 1,300,000won. The medical fee in the herb medicine is seven times as much as in the medical clinics for a visit. 3. The motive of admission is recommended by neighbour that major to 89%, 62 patients were operated that showed 12 excel-lent, 35 good, 13 fair and 2 poor results. CONCLUSION: There were correlations of three factors, that is high cost, patients chronicity and preference of the herb medicine.