한의 노화 평가 도구 개발 기초 연구

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a Korean Medicine Aging Evaluative Tool (KM-AET) based on Donguibogam and to comprehensively assess aging-related symptoms including cognitive decline, sensory deterioration, and physical frailty. The goal was to overcome limitations of existing tools such as the Korean Medical Pathologic Aging Scale by creating a standardized, multidimensional diagnostic instrument. Methods: Aging-related expressions were systematically extracted from Donguibogam. Using predefined aging-related keywords, 177 sentences were identified and refined into 28 preliminary items through direct and interpretive translation. A three-round Delphi survey involving six bored-certified specialists in Korean medicine neuropsychiatry was conducted to evaluate each item’s clinical appropriateness and importance. Final items were selected through expert consensus. Item-specific importance scores were used to calculate normalized weights, reflecting the relative clinical significance of each symptom. Diagnostic methodology consultation and linguistic review were additionally conducted and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was developed. Results: The finalized KM-AET includes 25 items across five domains. All items achieved expert consensus and demonstrated high importance ratings. Each item was assigned a normalized weight based on mean importance scores from the Delphi panel. The tool adopts an interviewer-administered format with integrated verbal inquiry and visual inspection. It includes detailed SOP-based scoring and interpretation guidelines. Conclusions: The KM-AET ver. 1.0 integrates traditional Korean medical concepts with structured and objective evaluative standards. Through its item-weighted structure and SOP-guided application, it provides a clinically meaningful tool for early identification and personalized assessment of aging-related conditions. Further validation is needed to confirm its predictive accuracy and practical utility.