| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
|
 Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:07 am Post subject: Korean doctors prescribe too many pills |
 |
|
Saw this on tv today and decided it was worth translating since this is good hard data to back up the fact that Korean doctors prescribe way too much medicine at one time for common ailments that don't need that many pills (most none at all in my opinion, but I've never been a fan of taking pills) to fight.
http://koreabeat.com/?p=520
| Quote: |
The story on the news today was that Korea prescribes an average of 4.13 pills per prescription, twice that of the average developed country.
...
Regular clinics came in first with an average of 4.24 pills per prescription, general hospitals with 3.92, and other hospitals with 3.89 (note: on tv today it seems that well-known hospitals such as Severance Hospital were down around two-point-something if memory serves).
There was an especially large amount of medicine prescribed for less serious illnesses such as colds, and medicine prescribed to children.
The average number of pills prescribed to those with colds in Korea was 4.73, compared to 1.61 for the US, 2.58 for the UK, and 2.2 for Japan. People under 18 in Korea were given an average of 4.56 pills per prescription, compared to 1.64 for the US, 1.77 in Switzerland, and 1.85 in Germany. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
kotakji
Joined: 23 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I've always been curious about the pills my doctor prescribes. Now fortunately the one in my area is OK with me asking questions (although my wife went bug-eyed the first time I did it) and I've gotten in the habit of just telling the doctor what the problem is and what I need to solve it. But its amazing how a muscle sprain requires 7 different pills... Muscle relaxant, pain reliever, OK I'm out of ideas, just what the heck are the other 5 pills? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| most of the pills they give are to reduce symptomatic problems9e.g painkillers ..), not the real problem. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
adeline
Joined: 19 Nov 2007
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I wonder what the origin of this is. In the states overperscription is mostly limited to antibiotics and psychiatrics (many of which are actually off-label). But the trend is def going down. You can say what you want about psychs but the main reason docs give for prescribing antibiotics when they know that they won't do a damn thing is to placate the patient. Im sure doctors know just as well in korea that most of those pills are really necessary but it doesn't seem like the drive to prescribe is the same as it is in the states. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Hanson
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Excellent post, Mith. I'll be showing my wife this article when she gets home - we've disagreed about this many times. Hell, I may even print it out and show my daughter's doctor, who invariably prescribes a sachet full of pills for my daughter to take, when all she has is a cold.
The difficulty for the layman is that we don't know what each pill is for. I'm with Mith - I hate taking pills for what the human body should be able to fight off on its own. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Hanson wrote: |
| The difficulty for the layman is that we don't know what each pill is for. |
Hmm, the last time I got a prescription in Korea it came with a slip with the names of all the pills.
Of course, the doc had prescribed me 4 pills a day despite concluding my ear infection had become asymptomatic on its own. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cangel
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: Jeonju, S. Korea
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Doctors don't diagnose your condition. They take a cursory look, listen, and throw a handful of pills at you. "Well, one of these should work." Was the same thing in Japan. I think it may be a result of national health care systems. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
The_Eyeball_Kid
Joined: 20 Jun 2007
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| cangel wrote: |
| Doctors don't diagnose your condition. They take a cursory look, listen, and throw a handful of pills at you. "Well, one of these should work." Was the same thing in Japan. I think it may be a result of national health care systems. |
What national health care system? Are you about to argue for the freedom of choice that the US system allows? If so, please go ahead and let's see what happens... (snigger) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sadsac
Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: Gwangwang
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
My wife and I are fortunate that we have a wonderful doctor in Hadong. He speaks reasonable English and is happy to try and explain what meds he's prescribing. He will also take a little bit of extra time with the consultation and keep it relatively private.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Axl Rose
Joined: 16 Feb 2006
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| adeline wrote: |
| I wonder what the origin of this is. |
Weakness. Wussiness. Koreans are wimps - it really is as simplistic as that.
The origin is the same as the origin of Koreans wrapping up in blankets, keeping their coats and scalves on in a 35 degrees Celcius heated room, whilst I, within 2 minutes, start to sweat and remove my jacket.
When the Japanese invaded US, the US nuked them. When the Japanese invaded Korea, they lubed up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cangel
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: Jeonju, S. Korea
|
| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Eww, eww, The Eyeball Kid is calling me out... Why so defensive? Next time I recommend breaking the Prozac in half, jerko. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
