Ethnic differences in elders' home remedy use: sociostructural explanations.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if ethnic differences in elders' use of home remedies are explained by structured inequalities.


METHODS
Dichotomous indicators of "food" and "other" home remedies were obtained from a randomly selected cohort of older adults with diabetes (N=701). Analyses evaluated if differences in availability of care, economic hardship, and health status explained ethnic differences in home remedy use.


RESULTS
Differences in residential location, discretionary money, and health partially explained greater home remedy use among Black and Native American elders relative to whites.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnic differences in elders' use of home remedies are not largely attributed to socially structured inequalities.
Grzywacz
Joseph G
JG
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1084, USA. grzywacz@wfubmc.edu
Arcury
Thomas A
TA
Bell
Ronny A
RA
Lang
Wei
W
Suerken
Cynthia K
CK
Smith
Shannon L
SL
Quandt
Sara A
SA
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009657:North Carolina; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012424:Rural Population; D012651:Self Medication / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*
D028321:Plant Preparations