To assess the injection preference of patients and its related factors, 332 patients who visited Yeoncheon Health Center Hospital during the preiod of 16th June through 30th June 1990 were studied by means of questionnaire and review of medical records.
The results were as follows.
1. Of total 332 patients, the proportion of injection preference group was 226(68.1%).
2. The proportion of injection preference group according to disease group was 26(86.7%) in sensorineuro-psychiatric diseases, 49(81.7%) in musculoskeletal diseases, 46(69.7%) in gastrointestinal diseases, 52(65.0%) in respiratory diseases, and 8(47.1%) in cardiovascular diseases.
3. There was a tendency that injection preference was higher in patients who were older, who were low-educated and who had no history of side effect of injection. Age, education level and history of side effect of injection were significantly related to injection preference.(P<0.01)
4. The beliefs that 'Injection makes faster recovery from illness than p.o. medications.','Illness that was not recovered by p.o. medications had better be treated with injection.' and 'Side effect of injection is more dangerous than that of p.o. medications.' were significantly related to injection preference.(P<0.01)
In conclusion, in order to induce the injection preference to favorable direction, health education is necessary to change the patients' beliefs about injection and this effort is more important in patients who are older, who are low-educated, and who have no histroy of side effect of injection.
