Objective To investigate and analyze the residents’ cognition and use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and put forward corresponding countermeasures for its existing problems. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the cognition and trust of TCM from 380 residents in Liaoning Province. Then, the differences of residents’ way of purchasing TCM and gaining the knowledge of TCM. Finally, Polygonum multiflorum was taken as an example to analyze the problems in residents’ cognition and use of Chinese medicinal materials, Chinese traditional decoction pieces, and Chinese patent medicine. Results and Conclusion A total of 402 questionnaires were collected, and 380 were valid. The effective rate was 94.53%. Residents’ understanding of the top three TCM processing techniques were simmering (58.95%), baking (56.84%), and parching (45.00%). The top three best-known TCM for them were chrysanthemum (72.63%), tangerine peel (63.16%), and hawthorn (62.11%). The main factors influencing residents’ willingness to purchase TCM were doctors’ advice (52.63%), and experts or experienced people’s suggestion (54.21%). The top three ways of residents’ gaining TCM knowledge were: TCM knowledge lecture (64.21%), health care knowledge (55.79%), and personal experience of Chinese medicine such as acupuncture and cupping (54.21%). However, due to the lack of professional knowledge of TCM, insufficient supervision and inconsistent standards, residents frequently took TCM by mistake. Residents have a high recognition of TCM, so its future development is optimistic. However, some residents’ insufficient knowledge of TCM often leads to the misapplication of the medicine. Therefore, to improve residents’ cognition of
TCM, it is not only to actively publicize the professional knowledge of TCM, but also to improve the professional skills of practitioners, and the supervision standards and intensity of TCM market, so as to make residents feel at ease to buy safe and high-quality TCM products.
