Trends in the utilisation of traditional Chinese medicine in rural China: A case study of Yuhang County, Zhejiang Province.

摘要

This thesis is an investigation of how utilisation of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been affected by economic reforms in China, in the case study region of Yuhang County, Zhejiang Province. The main goal of the research is to determine the various perceptions, forces, and factors that influence TCM utilisation in rural China.; Multiple methods were used to conduct this research including semi-structured interviews, household member surveys, and the analysis of secondary data. The results of this study indicate that in the wake of economic reforms since 1978, health care services have been privatised and TCM is no longer the "local" option it once was. Greater freedom in terms of health care provision has enabled health care providers to emphasise Western medicine (WM) more than TCM, in order to remain competitive in the health care market. Users in Yuhang have indicated refraining from using the rural health care system because of higher health care costs. Their preference for using TCM or WM is affected by perceptions of the convenience, efficiency and effectiveness of WM over TCM. The historical provision of medicine at the town level seems to be a major influence of user medicine preferences.