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Table 2 Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for characteristics associated with the utilization of Chinese medicine and Western medicine (n = 136,720)

From: Utilization patterns of Chinese medicine and Western medicine under the National Health Insurance Program in Taiwan, a population-based study from 1997 to 2003

Characteristic

Chinese medicine

p value

Western medicine

p value

Gender

    

   Male

1.00

 

1.00

 

   Female

1.48 (1.45–1.50)*

< 0.001

1.74 (1.72–1.77)

< 0.001

Age (years)

    

   2–7

1.00

 

1.00

 

   8–14

1.14 (1.10–1.18)

< 0.001

0.50 (0.49–0.51)

< 0.001

   15–24

1.38 (1.33–1.44)

< 0.001

0.36 (0.36–0.37)

< 0.001

   25–34

1.58 (1.52–1.64)

< 0.001

0.38 (0.37–0.38)

< 0.001

   35–44

1.74 (1.67–1.81)

< 0.001

0.39 (0.38–0.40)

< 0.001

   45–54

1.75 (1.68–1.82)

< 0.001

0.45 (0.44–0.46)

< 0.001

   55–64

1.63 (1.56–1.71)

< 0.001

0.64 (0.63–0.66)

< 0.001

   ≥ 65

1.51 (1.44–1.58)

< 0.001

1.09 (1.05–1.13)

< 0.001

Socioeconomic status

    

   ≥ US$1,280

1.00

 

1.00

 

   US$640-1,279

1.05 (1.03–1.07)

< 0.001

1.00 (0.98–1.01)

0.473

   < US$640

1.04 (1.02–1.06)

< 0.001

0.98 (0.96–0.99)

< 0.001

   Farmers and fishermen

0.90 (0.87–0.92)

< 0.001

0.97 (0.95–0.99)

< 0.001

   Others

0.86 (0.84–0.88)

< 0.001

0.77 (0.76–0.78)

< 0.001

Severe disease

    

   Without

1.00

 

1.00

 

   With

1.00 (0.95–1.05)

0.900

2.40 (2.29–2.52)

< 0.001

Region

    

   Eastern Taiwan

1.00

 

1.00

 

   Taipei

0.91 (0.86–0.96)

0.001

1.03 (0.99–1.07)

0.117

   Northern Taiwan

0.96 (0.90–1.01)

0.123

1.08 (1.04–1.13)

< 0.001

   Central Taiwan

1.65 (1.56–1.74)

< 0.001

1.15 (1.11–1.20)

< 0.001

   Southern Taiwan

1.18 (1.12–1.25)

< 0.001

1.20 (1.15–1.25)

< 0.001

   Kaohsiung and Pingtung

1.09 (1.03–1.16)

0.002

1.21 (1.16–1.26)

< 0.001

Remote Area

    

   General Population

1.00

 

1.00

 

   Mountainous regions

0.57 (0.52–0.63)

< 0.001

1.03 (0.96–1.11)

0.356

   Offshore islands

0.78 (0.70–0.86)

< 0.001

1.21 (1.13–1.30)

< 0.001

Season

    

   Winter (December – February)

1.00

 

1.00

 

   Spring (March – May)

0.95 (0.95–0.96)

< 0.001

0.88 (0.88–0.89)

< 0.001

   Summer (June – August)

0.90 (0.89–0.90)

< 0.001

0.79 (0.79–0.80)

< 0.001

   Autumn (September – November)

0.93 (0.93–0.94)

< 0.001

0.86 (0.85–0.86)

< 0.001

Year

    

   1997

1.00

 

1.00

 

   1998

1.05 (1.03–1.06)

< 0.001

1.10 (1.10–1.11)

< 0.001

   1999

1.10 (1.09–1.12)

< 0.001

1.21 (1.20–1.22)

< 0.001

   2000

1.10 (1.09–1.11)

< 0.001

1.26 (1.25–1.27)

< 0.001

   2001

1.11 (1.09–1.12)

< 0.001

1.27 (1.26–1.28)

< 0.001

   2002

1.12 (1.10–1.13)

< 0.001

1.28 (1.26–1.29)

< 0.001

   2003

1.15 (1.14–1.17)

< 0.001

1.17 (1.16–1.19)

< 0.001

  1. *Odds ratio (95% confidence interval).