Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107130

Robert M. Saywell, PhD, MPH, Laura K. Howell, BS, Terrell W. Zollinger, DrPH, Javier F. Sevilla, MD, Brittany S. Sutton, BS, and Komal Kochhar, MBBS, MHA. Department of Family Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1110 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5102, 317-278-0345, bsutton@iupui.edu

Objectives: The purposes of this study of Hispanic patients were to: 1] examine demographic factors affecting herbal remedy use, 2] assess their knowledge of herbs, and 3] measure their experiences discussing herbal use with their provider. Methods: Self-administered questionnaires, measuring demographic characteristics, use of common herbal remedies, attitudes about using herbal remedies, and their experiences discussing herbal usage with their physician, were collected from 646 Hispanic patients seeking treatment in urban health centers. Results: Results indicated that 80% of the respondents were taking or have taken an herbal remedy. Herbal users, compared to non-users, tended to be more comfortable speaking Spanish (90.8% vs. 77.4%) and had been in the U.S. for less than five years (68.3% vs. 43.8%). Gender, age, education levels, employment status, health insurance coverage, and physician utilization did not differ between the users and non-users. Users were more knowledgeable about herbal remedies being drugs (51.4% vs. 37.5%), including possible interactions with prescription medications and dangers if taken while pregnant (55.9% vs. 37.7%). Overall, less than half of the respondents knew the English term for the herbs they were taking and few (17.4%) physicians ask about their patients' herb use. Only 41.6% indicated their physician would understand their use of herbal remedies and only 10.6% believed they would encourage continued use. Conclusions: The results of this study provide insight into the attitudes and behaviors of Hispanic herbal users and demonstrate the need for improved communication to increase physician awareness of their patients' herbal use.

Words: 246

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the factors affecting Hispanics’ use of herbal remedies.
• Measure their level of knowledge of herbal remedies.
• Describe the communication Hispanic patients have with their providers about using herbal remedies

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.