Outcome Measure Issues On Integrating Health Promotion Programme using traditional Korean medicine into the Public Health System in Korea: The implication of the Results of Three Years Pilot Programme

Abstract

Objective: As a new public health initiative for promoting health of community people, health promotion programmes using traditional Korean medicine(TKM) have been introduced into public health centers in Korea. Two major issues are how to measure the outcomes of the programme and whether the promotion programmes are effective. The purpose of this study is to identify current situation and issues of outcome measures to evaluate the programme by public health centre in Korea.

Methods: To collect the information on outcome measures evaluating the programme by public health centre, we reviewed annual reports for health promotion programme using traditional Korean medicine of Hub public health centers, as pilot health centers, which have implemented the health promotion programme collectively.

Results: For evaluating the impacts and changes of health promotion programme using TKM on the level of health and health status among participants of the programme, the outcome measures used are as follows: improvement of physical fitness ad symptom level of patients with chronic diseases; user satisfaction measures; the change of user perceptions; the changes of biochemistry; the change of knowledge-level and behaviour; and so on.

Discussion: As results show, most of outcome measures are related to self-reported questionnaires. The health centers` experiences to evaluation the programme are likely to raise many questions and issues on the outcome measures. To manage and monitor the programme efficiently, government and public health centers should give many efforts to develop relevant and valid outcome measures. Lastly, the implications from the experiences of three years pilot programme will be described.