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

Abstract #108496

Julia E. Heck, MPH, MPhil and Judith S. Jacobson, PhD, MBA. Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, 100 Haven Ave, Apt 6E, New York, NY 10032, 212-927-1288, jeh61@columbia.edu

Use of complementary therapies is known to vary across cultural traditions, but little research has examined its use within ethnic subgroups. The purpose of this study was to describe herbal supplement use among Latino groups within the United States, and to report other predictors of herb use.

Subjects were 10650 Latino respondents to the 2000 and 2002 National Health Interview Surveys who identified themselves as Mexican or Mexican-American, Cuban-American, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Central or South American, or "other" Hispanic. Predictors of interest included age, gender, education, place of birth, acculturation (measured using a modified Marin scale), self-reported health status, previous cancer diagnosis, smoking, and health insurance coverage. Weighted chi-square analysis and logistic regression were used to determine ethnic group and other predictors of supplement use.

Results found 13.6% of subjects reported herb use in the past year, with echinacea (2.7%), ginkgo biloba (2.0%) and garlic (1.9%) the most commonly cited. Comparing across groups, Dominicans had twice the odds of herb use of other subjects (OR=2.05, 95% CI 1.26-3.05), with "other" Spanish (OR=1.94, 1.24-3.05) and Mexican-Americans (OR=1.56, 1.12-2.17) also reporting higher use. Other predictors of supplement use included older age, female gender, poorer health, having quit smoking, private insurance, and greater education and acculturation. The most commonly named herbs were among those named in studies of all Americans. Some Latinos may use herbs not named in this study or may not consider their use of some herbs to be supplemental, but rather consider them to be part of their regular diet.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to describe herbal supplement use across US Latinos.

Keywords: Hispanic, 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.

Recorded presentation