176148 Cultural adaptation of a complementary and alternative medicine use pattern survey instrument in puerto rico

Monday, October 27, 2008: 12:30 PM

Roberto E. Torres-Zeno, PhD , Graduate School of Public Health-Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan
Leida Matías, PhD , Ponce School of Medicine-Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
Jorge Miranda, PhD , School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
Ruth Ríos, PhD , School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR
Yelitza Sánchez, MS , School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been defined as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. The use of CAM has become widespread, with expense in the U.S. equal to all out-of-pocket expenses for physician services. Patient safety and access issues, financial and cost considerations and the role of CAM practices in health promotion and prevention are primary concerns for patients, providers, insurers, policy makers and health care managers in Puerto Rico as well as in other countries. However, studies on CAM use in the island are non-existent. This methodology paper presents findings from the cultural adaptation of a CAM survey instrument designed to examine CAM use patterns in Puerto Rico using the U.S. National Health Interview Survey. Focus groups and expert panel meetings were utilized to adapt the instrument to Puerto Rican culture. Results emphasize the importance of semantic, concept and normative equivalencies in developing an instrument sensitive to the cultural context where it will be administered. This is the first study of its kind in Puerto Rico and is funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Learning Objectives:
1.Describe the step-by-step methodology developed for the cultural adaptation of a CAM use pattern survey research instrument to be administered in Puerto Rico. 2.Define CAM semantic, concept and normative equivalencies in developing an instrument sensitive to the cultural context where it will be administered in Puerto Rico. 3.Discuss findings from CAM focus group and expert panel meetings and their implications, such as the creation of the new Puerto Rican Herbal Medicine Supplement instrument.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Methodology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the qualified author of this research project.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.