PURPOSE: The prescription drug list for primary treatment by community health practitioners has been maintained for 30 years without any modification. Thus, this study will suggest an improvement scheme of prescription drug list for primary health care posts through an analysis of drug use in those posts. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was implemented with community health practitioners from April to June in 2012. A total of 1,249 copies were analyzed. As for the databases of drug use in the integrated information, a total of 154,229 diagnoses selected in the method of stratified cluster sampling from 39 primary health care posts'data were analyzed. We consulted some experts about the prescription medication list, and referred to the medication information on-line home page for up-to-date drug information. RESULTS: This study ultimately suggests 77 prescription drug items for primary health care posts by eliminating 35 items and replacing 1 item from the original list, and adding 4 items to it. CONCLUSION: This study will provide basic data for revising the prescription drug list in primary health care posts by periodically reflecting adverse effects in the existing drugs, demographic and environmental changes, and development of new drugs.
Coat Protein Complex I ; Prescriptions ; Primary Health Care ; Rural Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was to identify knowledge, perception and health behavior about metabolic syndrome for an at risk group in a rural community area. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used. A total of 575 adults with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and/or abdominal obesity were recruited from 11 rural community health care centers. A questionnaire was developed for this study. Anthropometric measures were measured and blood data was reviewed from the health record. RESULTS: Knowledge about the metabolic syndrome was low as evidenced by only a 47% correct answer rate. Only 9% of the subjects ever heard about the disease, and 87% answered they do not know the disease at all. 87% of the subjects were not performing regular exercise, 31% drank alcohol more than once a month, 12.5% were current smokers, and 33.6% are did not have a regular health check-up. CONCLUSION: Development of systematic public health care programs are needed to prevent future increases in cardiovascular complications and to decrease health care costs. These might include educational programs for the primary health care provider and an at risk group, a therapeutic lifestyle modification program, and a health screening program to identify potential groups.
Aged ; Anthropometry ; Awareness ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; *Health Behavior ; Health Care Surveys ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/etiology/*psychology ; Middle Aged ; *Perception ; Risk Factors ; *Rural Health ; Rural Health Services/organization & administration