Hispanic and Anglo Patients' Reported Use of Alternative Medicine in the Medical Clinic Context

Little research has been done into the concurrent use by different ethnic groups of alternative and conventional medicine, including the use of alternative medicine modalities by Hispanic and Anglo patients. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 516 low-income Hispanic and Anglo patients at eight community-based family practice clinics located in low-income, ethnically diverse areas of greater Phoenix, Arizona. A related questionnaire examined the awareness of and attitudes about alternative medi cine use by the patients' physicians. In different ways, most of the Anglo and Hispanic patients are using alternative medicine concurrently. This suggests the possibility that conventional medicine is not meeting their health care needs. Differences between Anglo and Hispanic patients in the use of alternative practitioners and therapies were identified. The findings indicated a frequent lack of communication between physicians and their patients regarding alternative medicine use among both Hispanics and An...