UTILIZATION CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTH-CARE SERVICE FOR RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS PATIENTS IN KOREA

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors which were resp onsible for delaying early diagnosis and optimal management of rheumat oid arthritis (RA) in Korea. We interviewed 109 outpatients diagnosed as RA and being treated by rheumatologists, and we eventually analyzed 98 patients' data. The median length of time from symptom onset to th e first visit to a medical doctor, to diagnosis, and to visiting a rhe umatologist were 8 weeks 23 weeks, and 42 months respectively. The sub specialists with whom the patients consulted with for the longest time before visiting a rheumatologist were an orthopaedic surgeon for 51 p atients, a Chinese herbal doctor for 19 patients, and a pharmacist for 16 patients. For early diagnosis and optimal management of RA in Kore a, we believe that it is necessary to reduce the use of unconventional medical services such as Chinese herbal medicine and nonprescribed me dication, and to emphasize rheumatologic and rehabilitative care in th e early stage.