Current Status of Korean Medicine Treatment for Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: a nationwide survey of Korean medicine doctors

Objectives: This study investigated how Korean medicine doctors treat schizophrenia spectrum disorders to assess current practices, identify high-frequency interventions, and evaluate clinical field utilization, aiming to develop evidence-based Korean medicine clinical practice guideline. Methods : A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in December 2024 among doctors affiliated with the Association of Korean Medicine. Korean medicine doctors who had treated schizophrenia spectrum disorder patients within the past six months were included. The survey assessed treatment goals, patient characteristics, treatment modalities, and assessment methods. Results : A total of 324 Korean medicine doctors were included in the final analysis. The most frequently reported treatment objective was management of co-existing symptoms (81.8%), followed by complementary treatment for positive/negative symptoms (44.4%) and management of antipsychotic-induced side effects (29.0%). Patients in the chronic (55.2%) and recovery disease phases (50.6%) were more likely to be treated with Korean medicine than patients with acute exacerbation. Herbal medicine (92.9%) and acupuncture (79.6%) were the primary interventions. The most frequently prescribed herbal formulas were Ondam-tang (61.7%), Shihogayonggolmoryo-tang (57.4%), and Ukgan-san (54.9%). GV20 (82.4%), EX-HN1 (58.0%), and HT7 (44.1%) were the most used acupuncture points. The primary co-existing symptoms managed were insomnia (77.2%), depression (76.2%), and agitation/excitement (64.2%). Weight gain (69.8%), dyspepsia (59.3%), and constipation (55.9%) were the most frequently addressed antipsychotic-induced side effects. Conclusion : This nationwide survey provides foundational data for developing Korean medicine clinical practice guideline for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The findings revealed that Korean medicine treatment serves a complementary role to conventional antipsychotic medications, primarily focusing on co-existing symptoms and side effect management.