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Abstract #157406

Juan Carlos Belliard, PhD, MPH¹, Adriana Arzate, MPH (c)¹, Waheed Baqai, MPH², Kathryn Knecht, PhD³, Claudio Japas, MPH⁴, and Susanne Montgomery, PhD, MPH⁵. (1) Dept. of Global Health, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, 24951 North Circle Drive, Loma Linda, CA 92350, 909.558.7194, jbelliard@llu.edu, (2) Department of Statistics, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, 24951 North Circle Drive 92350, 909-558-4902, Loma Linda, CA 92350, 909-5, (3) School of Pharmacy, Loma Linda University, West Hall, Loma Linda, CA 92350., (4) Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, 24951 North Circle Drive, Loma Linda, CA 92350, (5) Dept. of Health Promotion and Education, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Nichol Hall Room 1511, Loma Linda, CA 92354

Medical pluralism describes the simultaneous use, and often dialectic relationship between two distinct medical or health systems. This presentation describes the preliminary findings of a research project that explores the use of herbal remedies among an immigrant population that accesses the biomedical health system. We used focus groups to elicit information regarding health beliefs and practices of first-generation Mexican immigrants. Focus group findings were used as a knowledge base to develop a survey tool that focused on the use of herbs for health maintenance, protection, and recovery; herbal use for specific illnesses; information-sharing regarding herbal use between patient and health care provider; and improving outcomes of patient-provider encounters. Finally we discuss how this study's findings will be used to develop culturally competent educational materials to increase levels of trust and communication between immigrant patients and health care providers.

Learning Objectives:

• * know what herbs are mostly used among Mexican- Americans in Southern California
• * be aware of specific barriers to effective health care
• * understand how and why medical pluralism exists
• * explain how medical pluralism can be integrated into modern health care models

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Herbal Medicine

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.