Status and impacts of traditional Chinese medicine health knowledge and behaviors among the elderly in an area of Zhejiang province / 中华健康管理学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the health knowledge and behaviors related to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) among the elderly of communities in national TCM health education pilot area of Zhejiang province and provide reference for TCM health education. Methods A survey about the health knowledge and behaviors status related to TCM was made among 600 elderly people in Gongshu District. The survey included demographic characteristics, health knowledge of TCM and health behaviors related to TCM. The univariate and multivariate analyses were used for analyzing the health knowledge and behavior status and influencing factors of the elderly. Results The awareness rate of knowledge about TCM health knowledge in elderly was 94.7%, the qualified rate of TCM behaviors was only 31.6%. It showed that the qualified TCM behaviors among the elders were significantly different in those of different economic status and physical exercise situation (χ2=6.606, 10.243, P=0.037, 0.001). The results of logistic regression model showed that the protective factors of qualified TCM behaviors were 60-year old and good physical exercise (OR=1.836, 2.249) and the risk factor was moderate economic status (OR=0.539). Conclusion The awareness rate of TCM health knowledge in Gongshu District was high, but the qualified rate of TCM behaviors was low. The age, economic status and physical exercise situation are the influencing factors of TCM behaviors.