The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Korean Young Adult Members of Fitness Centers

Table 5

Perceived benefits and weakness of CAM and sources of CAM information.

Variables	N	%
Benefits of CAM (N=647)
Relief of pain and symptoms	376	57.9
Psychological and emotional wellbeing	260	40.1
Promotion of health and physical fitness	215	33.1
Improvement of immune function	79	12.2
Treatment of disease	72	11.1
Weaknesses of CAM (N = 649)
Lack of advertising	209	32.2
Lack of trust in practitioner	154	23.7
Non-scientific	149	23.0
Expensive cost	137	21.1
Sources of CAM information (N = 649)
Mass media including print and broadcast media	260	40.1
Internet	244	37.6
Family and friends	229	35.3
Western medicine hospitals	46	7.1
Korean traditional medicine hospitals	43	6.6
CAM practitioners	30	4.6
Education including public lectures	25	3.9
Others	42	6.5

responses; average number of choices was 1.5 ± 0.8.
responses; average number of choices was 1.4 ± 0.7.