title: Diabetes Cultural Beliefs and Traditional Medicine Use Among Health Center Patients in Oaxaca, Mexico.
abstract: Type II diabetes mellitus is currently the leading cause of death in Mexico. Oaxaca is one of the poorest states in Mexico with the largest concentration of indigenous people in the country. Despite the alarming increase of diabetes rates in this region, little is known about the indigenous populations' cultural understandings and related practices for this chronic disease. This study examined diabetes cultural beliefs and traditional medicine use among a sample of 158 adults with and without diabetes in Oaxaca, Mexico. Individuals with and without diabetes did not differ in their traditional culture beliefs regarding diabetes in this study. Younger age (OR = 1.04) and stronger beliefs in punitive and mystical retribution (OR = 5.42) regarding diabetes causality increased the likelihood of using traditional medicine (p < .05). Findings may aid in the development of culturally tailored programs to address diabetes prevention and management efforts in the region.
authors.affiliation: South Bay Latino Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA. reespinoza@mail.sdsu.edu.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Espinoza Giacinto
authors.affiliation: South Bay Latino Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
authors.forename: Sheila F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Castañeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Center for Latin American Studies, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
authors.forename: Ramona L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Moores UC San Diego Cancer Center, 3855 Health Sciences Drive #0901, La Jolla, CA, 93093, USA.
authors.forename: Jesse N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Nodora
authors.affiliation: South Bay Latino Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Urbano #1, Oaxaca, México.
authors.forename: Emma Julián
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.affiliation: South Bay Latino Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Talavera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cultural beliefs; Diabetes; Mexico; Oaxaca; Traditional medicine