Strengths and weaknesses of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in the eyes of some Hong Kong Chinese

Abstract

Objective: To explore the attitudes of Hong Kong Chinese towards the strengths and weaknesses of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine.

Design: Qualitative study of subjects' opinions using semi-structured focus group interviews.

Setting: Southern district of Hong Kong Island where many of the residents have a fisherman background.

Participants: Twenty nine participants took part in eight focus group interviews.

Measurements and main results: Participants' attitudes towards TCM and Western medicine were explored in the interviews. Both TCM and Western medicine are used concurrently by many people in Hong Kong. Patients make decisions on which type of doctors they want to see for the specific illnesses that they are suffering from. They consider both types of medicines to have strengths and weaknesses: TCM being better in curing the root of the problem but quite slow in action while Western medicine is more powerful but sometimes too powerful with significant side effects.

Conclusions: It is important for medical practitioners to be aware of the health attitudes of their patients from different ethnic backgrounds. It will lead to a better patient-doctor relationship and better compliance of treatment.