Perspectives of Stroke in Persons Living in Seoul, South Korea

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Abstract
Background and Purpose The aim of the present study was to investigate the perspectives of stroke in persons who live in Seoul, South Korea, a country which is unique in that the social and political status of traditional (herbal) medicine is equal to that of western (modern) medicine. Methods We randomly selected 1000 persons living in Seoul, South Korea, and performed open-ended telephone interviews regarding stroke risk factors, symptoms, and the choice of treatment for stroke. We also asked whether the subjects would prefer to visit western-medicine doctors or traditional-medicine doctors if they developed stroke. Results Twenty-nine percent of the interviewees responded correctly that the most important risk factor for stroke is hypertension. However, other major factors, such as cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease, were greatly underappreciated, while less important risk factors such as hyperlipidemia/obesity, stress, and exposure to coldness were overappreciated. Also, although ...