BEIJING -- The prevalence of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) culture among Chinese people reached 15.34 percent in 2018, up nearly 2 percentage points from 2017, showed a survey released by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM).

The survey included over 80,000 permanent residents aged between 15 and 69 in 31 provincial-level regions, covering questions about knowledge of TCM culture, reading of TCM-related materials, and confidence in TCM, among other aspects.

It is estimated that there are more than 158 million people across the country with basic knowledge of TCM culture, according to the department.

"TCM prevalence in poor areas rose remarkably in 2018 from 2016 at a rate higher than the national average," said Zha Dezhong, an official from the NATCM, adding that the gap between urban and rural areas has been narrowing.

The NATCM has pledged to increase policy and financial support for rural and western regions and extensively hold activities such as TCM culture promotion, health services and free medical consultations.