Background
: The primary concern of a family physician is the healthcare of patients and their families, with the patient's disease itself being secondary. Family physicians should make efforts to discuss personal issues with their patients. This study examined how many patients were counseled about their private problems, especially family or sexual issues in the private clinics of Cheonan.

Methods : The subjects were the patients who visited a practice-based network from April to June in 2003. The data were collected through simple questionnaire about sociodemographic features of patients and their family and sexual problems.

Results : Eighty eight patients were studied for a total of 107 cases that consisted of 67 cases of family problems (62%) and 40 cases of sexual matters (38%). The common issues about family problems were `the partners' (23 cases, 21%) and `the patients` children' (29 cases, 27 %). The most frequent sexual problems were 'sexually transmitted diseases' (13 cases, 32.5%), `impotence' (7 cases, 17.5%), 'loss of libido, and unsatisfaction' (6 cases, 15.0%). Most physicians were involved in family and sexual issues with medications, and simple counseling with reassurance. Simple counseling was given for 14 cases (21.0%) for family issues and 18 cases (44.0%) for sexual issues. The patients were treated with medications in 47 cases (70.0%) for sexual and 15 cases (38.0%) for family problems.

Conclusion : The most common issue for family problems was their partners and for sexual problems was 'sexually transmitted diseases'. Most family physicians were involved with both simple counseling and medications.

Background
: Although urinary incontinence is a common problem, its prevalence and severity in community is not well established. The main objects of this study were to define the prevalence in adult men and women who came to a primary care office for health care.

Methods : Men and women aged 20 years and over who came to family physician's offices seeking health care for any reason during an 2-week period were the subjects of a survey by anonymous questionnaire. Ten family practice offices in Cheonan Practice-Based Research Network parti-cipated. We defined "current significant urinary incontinence' as over any degree of annoying incontinence in the past 12 months.

Results : Of the 1,130 responders, 46.3% experienced urinary incontinence. Incontinence was experienced by 26.7% of the men and 50.2% of the women. 'Current significant urinary incontinence' was experienced by 3.7% of the men and 10.12% of the women.

Conclusion : Urinary incontinence as a common problem among those seen in primary care settings, and patients hesitate to seek consultation of their problems with physicians. Therefore, family physicians should deal with the symptoms of incontinence more attentively during history taking.(J Korean Acad Fam Med 1999;20:55~61)

Background
: Hypertension is a chronic disorder that causes various complications. It needs proper pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment. But, other studies show there are many traditional and folk remedies about hypertension in Korean. This study was designed to show behavioral patterns of outcomes and side effects of folk remedies in practice-based network.

Methods : The study subjects were hypertensive patients visited practice-based network from September to December in 1996. Data were collected through questionnaire about sociodemographic features of patients and types, effect, frequency, and side effects of folk remedies.

Results : The responders totalled 160 patients, and those who have tried traditional medicine or folk remedies were 65 patients(27 men and 38 women cases). Information source about remedies were 'family members or friends' in 53.8%, 'TV, magazines, and newspapers' in 13.8%, and 'books that deal with health information' in 3.1%. There were 22 experienced remedies ; the most common remedy was herb medicine. In subjective judgement about anti-hypertensive effect, 6 cases described as 'very effective', 21 as ' somewhat effective', 14 as 'not effective', 17 as 'not sure'. Ten(15.3%) of 65 cases experienced side effects.

Conclusion : 40.6% of total responders used traditional or folk remedies, and 15.3% of them experienced side effects, 9.2% of them told that their remedies were 'very effective'. Physicians need to inform patients of side effects of folk remedies and adequate management of hypertension.

Background
: Gallstone disease is most common biliary disease, which prevalence and location has different demographic characteristics by its composition. Not all persons with gallstones have clinical manifestation, but most studies in the Korea have been based only on cases of gallstones that were identified clinically. An investigation based on clinical cases may result in an underestimation of the prevalence of GSD. Therefore we carried out this study to determine the Korean prevalence of cholelithiasis and related socioeconomic risk factors.

Methods : 4,395 cases whish were visited at General health screening center of Asan medical center during 9month-period from June, 1990 to March, 1991 were surveyed by abdominal USG. We divided patients into gallstone disease group and normal subject group, which former are defined by gallstone positive or postcholecystectomy due to gallstone. We assessed the sex and age related prevalence and location specific characteristic of gallstones. Age and sex distribution and demographic factor were evaluated in both groups.

Results : We experienced 165 cases of GSD in 4,395 cases examined(139 cases of Gallstone, 27 cases of postcholecystectomy). Total age adjusted prevalence is 3.43%, 3.70%(95% CI 3.14~4.26) of female is significantly higher than 2.08%(95% CI 1.66~2.50)of male. The prevalence of GSD increased along with the increasing age with a significant linear trend. GB stone is most common location and relative frequency is 92.08%. Comparison with normal group, obesity is significantly higher in GSD group (P<0.05).

Conclusion : Age adjusted prevalence of GSD in Korea is suspected which 2.08% of male and 3.70% of female.