Differences in prevention and complementary health behaviors

This study examined racial/ethnic differences in primary and secondary preventive health behaviors and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). A questionnaire was administered to 6305 White, African-American, Hispanic and Asian households. A random-digit dialing method was employed utilizing a stratified minority sample design. The questionnaire was translated into Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Korean. There were significant differences in physician visitations, in health care location types, attitudes toward self-care, fatalism, health decisions left to a physician, health problems impairing daily activity, health problem types, preventive health behaviors, and use of CAM. Overall, 31.6% used CAM. Hispanics used CAM because they were cheaper, and Asians because of cultural beliefs. Fatalism was inversely associated with CAM use. Increased understanding of specific differences between ethnic/racial groups in preventive health care behaviors and CAM use, may lead to tailoring of culturally and linguistically efficacious health promotion interventions.