title: Hispanic Use of Juramentos and Roman Catholic Priests as Auxiliaries to Abstaining from Alcohol Use/Misuse.
abstract: This self-administered mail survey study conducted along the US-Mexico border replicates and expands on research conducted in Florida regarding the prevalence ofjuramentouse as an intervention technique for alcohol misuse.Juramentosare pledges to abstain from alcohol use for a time determined by the user. The pledge is usually to the Virgin of Guadalupe and is often done in the presence of a Roman Catholic Priest. As in Florida, the majority of Priests along the border reported they were familiar with the practice ofjuramentosand had already witnessed at least one. The majority of Priests who had donejuramentosviewed them as effective. Since the vast majority of Priest indicated that they would begin or continue witnessing juramentos, this makes juramentos and Roman Catholic Priests a viable culturally sensitive aide for treatment among Hispanics, in particular those of Mexican descent.
authors: University of Texas at El Paso, Criminal Justice, 500 W. University Avenue, El Paso, 79968 United States.
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Cuadrado
keywords: Hispanic; US-Mexico border; alcoholism; folk medicine; religious beliefs; substance abuse treatment