Evaluation of The Effectiveness of The Standard Traditional Korean Medicine-Based Health Promotion Program For Disadvantaged Children In South Korea

Abstract

Background: Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) is highly integrated with the modern health care system of South Korea and is actively used in the public health field. Since 2014, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea has supported the development of standard models for TKM-based health promotion programs. This study aimed to report and evaluate a standard TKM-based health promotion program for the health of disadvantaged children.Methods: The program was developed based on previous studies, on-site surveys, and expert advice. It was applied to children in the intervention group for 12 weeks, but not to children in the wait-list control group. The program’s effectiveness indicators—the number of outpatient visits, absence, late or early leave, and infectious symptoms—were compared between groups. For statistical analysis, difference-in-differences model with a zero-inflated negative binomial regression model was used.Results: At baseline, there were 156 children in the intervention group and 153 children in the wait-list control group, among which 155 and 147 children, respectively, were included in the analysis. The number of outpatient visits was significantly lower (by 65%) in the intervention group than in the wait-list control group (p = 0.03). The number of absences, lateness/early leaves, and infectious symptoms were 51%, 47%, and 14% lower, respectively, in the intervention group than in the wait-list control group, but the difference was not statistically significant.Conclusions: A standard TKM-based health promotion program has the potential to improve the health of disadvantaged children. In the future, studies with long-term intervention and large-scale subjects are needed to enhance the applicability of these programs in communities.