Article Figures & Data
Tables
Characteristic Value GED=general equivalency diploma. Sex, No, (%) Male 5 (17) Female 25 (83) Age, mean (range) y 38.4 (20–84) Interviewee, No. (%) Parent of child (≤17 y) with asthma 13 (43) Adult (≥18 y) with asthma 17 (57) Education, No. (%) ≤8th grade 7 (23) Some high school 8 (27) High school graduate or GED 6 (20) ≥Some college 9 (30) Employment status, No, (%) Full-time 10 (33) Part-time 3 (10) Unemployed 10 (33) Not working due to disability 7 (23) Annual household income, No, (%) <$5,000 6 (20) $5,000–$9,999 15 (50) $10,000–$20,000 3 (10) ≥$20,000 6 (20) Marital status, No, (%) Married 16 (53) Separated or divorced 5 (17) Widowed 2 (7) Never married 7 (23) Household size, mean (range), No. 4.3 (1–10) Household members with asthma, mean (range), No. 1.5 (1–6) Note: There were 161 citations by 30 respondents. Ingested/Topical Remedies (n = 90) Behavioral Strategies (n = 71) Herbal concoctions (n = 29) Lifestyle adaptations (n = 31) Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil) Avoid certain places Ricinus communis (castor oil) Bathe in salt/sea water Matricaria recutita (chamomile) tea Cough out phlegm Sechium edule (chayote) Get rid of birds Guamo (cow’s regurgitated grass) Get rid of carpeting/curtains Herb syrup Pet dog, chihuahua Mentha spicata (spearmint) Remain active Quercus (oak) tea Rest Coriandrum sativum (cilantro) Avoid dust (n = 2) Ruta chalepensis (fringed rue) Avoid smokers (n = 2) Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) (n=2) Cold water shower (n = 2) Cannabis sativa (marijuana) tea (n=2) Eat well (n = 2) Siete Jarabes (Seven Syrups) (n=2) Exercise (n=2) Aloe vera (n=4) Keep house clean (n = 2) Herbal teas (n = 9) Avoid pets (n = 3) Over-the-counter products (n = 32) Dress warmly (n = 8) Camphor Air exposures/intake (n = 16) Menthol and camphor (Mentholatum) Breathe into bag Throat lozenges Breathe into refrigerator Vitamin C Breathing exercises Cough medicine (n = 2) Dehumidifier Rubbing alcohol (n = 8) Indoor air cleaner Vicks VapoRub (n = 18) Outdoors and fresh air Foodstuff/fruit juices (n = 15) Steam room Citrus x paradisi (grapefruit) Indoor ventilation (n = 3) Citrus x sinensis (orange) Humidifier (n=6) Allium sativum (garlic) (n = 2) Mind/body exercises (n = 16) Allium cepa (onion) (n=2) Control anger Citrus limon (lemon) (n=3) Control emotions Honey (n=6) Meditation Animals/animal parts (n = 10) Reduce worries Megascops (screech owl) heart Put out of mind (n = 2) Gastropoda (snail), boiled Positive attitude (n = 3) Serpentes (snake), fried Stay calm (n = 7) Serpentes (snake) oil Religious/spiritual practices (n=8) Lacertilia (lizard), boiled/fried (n=3) Attend church services Selachimorpha (shark) liver oil (n=3) Spiritual healing (Christian) Nonspecific therapies (n = 4) Spiritual healing (Santeria) Drink lots of fluids Faith in God (n = 2) Home remedies Prayer (n=3) Hot drinks and foods Natural things Type of Treatment Treatment Used (or Deemed Effective) No. (%) Treatment Not Used (or Deemed Ineffective) No. (%) Note: There were 161 citations by 30 respondents. P <.001 for the comparison use of Ingested and topical remedies vs behavioral strategies. Ingested and topical remedies 28 (31) 62 (69) Behavioral strategies 65 (92) 6 (8) - Table 4.
Stratified Analysis of Type and Use of Ethnomedical Asthma Treatments by Information Source
Ingested/Topical Remedies N=90 Behavioral Strategies N=71 Information Source Treatment Used (or Deemed Effective) No. (%) Treatment Not Used (or Deemed Ineffective) No. (%) Treatment Used (or deemed Effective) No. (%) Treatment Not Used (or Deemed Ineffective) No. (%) Note: There were 161 citations by 30 respondents. P <.001 for the comparison use of ingested/topical remedies by information source. The comparison for use of behavioral strategies by information source was not statistically significantly different. Self 3 (11) 0 (0) 6 (9) 0 (0) Relative 10 (36) 15 (24) 16 (25) 3 (50) Community 0 (0) 40 (65) 7 (11) 2 (33) Clinician 0 (0) 0 (0) 6 (9) 0 (0) Not specified 15 (54) 7 (11) 30 (46) 1 (17)
Additional Files
The Article in Brief
Knowledge and Use of Ethnomedical Treatments for Asthma Among Puerto Ricans in an Urban Community
Luis E. Zayas , and colleagues
Background Many Hispanics use or are aware of ethnomedical therapies (treatments based on cultural beliefs and practices). This study examined the use of ethnomedicine among Puerto Ricans with asthma living in the United States.
What This Study Found Based on interviews with 30 Puerto Rican Americans, researchers developed a typology of asthma remedies rooted in patients� cultural beliefs and practices. The remedies identified during the interviews were predominantly behavioral strategies rather than ingested or topical therapies. Moreover, patients reported greater use and perceived efficacy of the behavioral strategies, which included lifestyle changes, air exposure, mind/body exercises, and religious or spiritual practices.
Implications
- The authors conclude that clinicians should ask Puerto Rican patients about their use of ethnomedical therapies for asthma to better understand their health beliefs and try to integrate these therapies into patients� treatment plans.
