Use of self-care by Hispanics: culture, access or need?
Hispanics have often been depicted as being avid users of traditional self-care who are skeptical of the formal health care system. This study used descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses to examine the self-care practices of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans living in Chicago. The findings provide evidence that Hispanics are not excessive users of self-care and underutilizers of formal medical care. Though both groups used non-prescribed-home-treatments, they did so at rates comparable to those reported for the general population.
University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor 48109.
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Suarez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002641:Chicago; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012648:Self Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*