title: Influence of race and ethnicity on alternative medicine as a self-treatment preference for common medical conditions in a population of multi-ethnic urban elderly.
abstract: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is prevalent among elderly individuals. While race and ethnicity may influence the choice of CAM, it is uncertain how this influence affects an individual's choice of CAM or conventional medicine. Furthermore, it is unclear whether this choice of CAM or conventional medicine might vary for different medical conditions. A survey of CAM use was performed on a convenience sample of 338 multi-ethnic urban elderly subjects who attended clinic at two large university-affiliated hospitals over 2 years. The survey asked about individual CAM therapies used, and whether subjects would prefer conventional (prescription or over-the-counter) or CAM (herbal or other) treatment for three different medical conditions: colds, insomnia, and back pain. Hispanic ethnicity and female gender were the best predictors of CAM use. Blacks were more likely than whites to utilize CAM. Hispanics were more likely to choose herbal medications to self-treat colds and insomnia than whites or blacks, or low-back pain than whites. More Hispanics chose herbal medications to treat insomnia than over-the-counter or prescription medications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, FL, USA. evan.cherniack@va.gov
authors.forename: E Paul
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Cherniack
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ceron-Fuentes
authors.forename: Hermes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Florez
authors.forename: Lauran
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sandals
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Palacios
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology; D003139:Common Cold / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology; D001741:Black or African American