Use and Implications of Ethnomedical Health Care Approaches among Central American Immigrants

Although Latinos in the United States often share similar cultural values and health beliefs, there are differences among Central American, South American, Mexican, and Caribbean Latinos. Central American health beliefs and practices are largely influenced by religious and indigenous worldviews. Hea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & social work 2003-02, Vol.28 (1), p.43-51
Main Authors: Murguía, Alejandro, Peterson, Rolf A., Zea, María Cecilia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Attitude to Health - ethnology
Beliefs
Care and treatment
Central America
Central America - ethnology
Community Relations
Crosscultural studies
Crosscultural Treatment
Cubans
cultural beliefs
Cultural Diversity
Cultural Influences
Cultural Sensitivity
Culture
Delivery Systems
Disease - classification
Disease - ethnology
Ethnic groups
ethnomedical approaches
Ethnomedicine
Female
Health
Health aspects
Health care
Health Care Services
Health Services
Health Services, Indigenous
Hispanic Americans
Hispanic Americans - psychology
Humans
Immigrants
Indigenous Knowledge
Latin American Cultural Groups
Latin American Culture
Latin American people
Latin Americans
Latinos
Male
Maya (People)
Medical Services
Medicine, Traditional
Mexican Americans
Middle Aged
Noncitizens
Physicians
Religion and Medicine
Religious beliefs
Religious Factors
service delivery
Services
Social work
Spirituality
Syndrome
U.S.A
United States
United States of America
USA
Values
Washington DC
Washington, D.C
World Views
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Description
Summary:Although Latinos in the United States often share similar cultural values and health beliefs, there are differences among Central American, South American, Mexican, and Caribbean Latinos. Central American health beliefs and practices are largely influenced by religious and indigenous worldviews. Health care providers in the United States may fail to recognize or accept the many ethnomedical approaches to treatment. This descriptive study assesses the use of ethnomedical approaches and the illnesses for which these approaches are used among 76 Central Americans in the District of Columbia. The results indicate the importance of understanding and integrating cultural and spiritual influences on health-related schemata and their effect on health care use and delivery.
ISSN:0360-7283
1545-6854
DOI:10.1093/hsw/28.1.43