How Do Parents’ Experiences Affect Children’s Use of the Traditional Korean Medical Services? A Regression Analysis Using Cross-Sectional Data

OBJECTIVES: Medical services are closely related to individual health and welfare, and health status in childhood or adolescence is widely recognized to be related to many socioeconomic outcomes. Therefore, providing appropriate medical services in childhood and adolescence is important. We aimed to investigate the determinants of traditional Korean medical services (TKMS) usage by children aged < 19 years. The focus was on the role of their parents’ experiences with TKMS in determining TKMS use by children. METHODS: Using a representative sample in South Korea, we conducted a regression analysis to assess how parents’ experience with TKMS affects the probability of their children using TKMS. RESULTS: We found parents’ experience with TKMS to have a significantly positive effect on the probability of TKMS use by children and parents’ biological information, such as age and sex, to affect the probability of TKMS use. Specifically, parents’ experiences with TKMS generally increased the probability of children using TKMS by approximately 20%. CONCLUSION: This study’s results suggest that considering parents’ opinions and providing them the opportunity to participate in programs that enhance young children’s use of TKMS may be effective.