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