ERIC Number: EJ938923
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Aug
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0739-9863
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Religiosity and Utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Foreign-Born Hispanics in the United States
Heathcote, John D.; West, Joshua H.; Hall, P. Cougar; Trinidad, Dennis R.
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, v33 n3 p398-408 Aug 2011
The purpose of this study was to test the association between religiosity and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a sample of foreign-born Hispanic adults, even when excluding prayer as a form of CAM. Data were collected using a self-report Spanish-language survey. Study participants consisted of 306 respondents between the ages of 18 and 79. Most were born in Mexico (56.3%), followed by South America (24.6%), and then Central America (7.4%). Dependent variable measures included mainstream and traditional CAM utilization. Religiosity was measured using eight items representing ritual, consequential, ideological, and experimental domains. After controlling for the potentially confounding influences of age, gender, and income, respondents who reported higher levels of religiosity also reported greater utilization of mainstream and traditional CAM. Previous studies have included prayer as a form of CAM therapy, making it difficult to test the CAM--religiosity association. In this study, even when prayer was not included as a CAM therapy, religiosity was associated with CAM. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Children, Medicine, Foreign Countries, Therapy, Religion, Religious Factors, Correlation, Hispanic Americans, Adults, Spanish, Surveys, Measures (Individuals), Ideology, Age, Gender Differences
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Mexico; South America
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

Peer reviewed
Direct link
