Latino Health CareLatino Health CareApproaches / Issues and Approaches / Issues and Traditional Healing ArtsTraditional Healing Arts

United States: Hispanic United States: Hispanic PopulationPopulation2000 Census Results2000 Census Results

United States: Hispanic United States: Hispanic PopulationPopulationLatino Healthcare Task ForceLatino Healthcare Task Force

““In 2003, Latinos became the largest In 2003, Latinos became the largest ethnic minority group in America, ethnic minority group in America, surpassing African-Americans and surpassing African-Americans and numbering nearly 40 million, according to numbering nearly 40 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.”the U.S. Census Bureau.”

““By 2004, there were more than 41 million By 2004, there were more than 41 million Latinos in the U.S., representing Latinos in the U.S., representing 14.1 14.1 percent of the total populationpercent of the total population [emphasis added].”[emphasis added].”

Latino Health Care: Related Latino Health Care: Related IssuesIssuesBarriers to quality healthcareBarriers to quality healthcare

Lack of English and literacy skillsLack of English and literacy skills Cultural differences in communication Cultural differences in communication

stylesstyles– Personalismo Personalismo or “formal friendliness”: the Latino or “formal friendliness”: the Latino

patient expects to develop a warm, personal patient expects to develop a warm, personal relationship with the clinicianrelationship with the clinician

Low-income ratesLow-income rates High cost of healthcare resulting in:High cost of healthcare resulting in:

– Limited to no insurance coverageLimited to no insurance coverage– Under-use of preventative servicesUnder-use of preventative services– Limited access to dental careLimited access to dental care– Limited to no coverage of prescription drugsLimited to no coverage of prescription drugs

Latino Health Care: Related Latino Health Care: Related IssuesIssuesTraditional healing artsTraditional healing arts

Roots of Roots of CuranderismoCuranderismo::– Greek humoral medicine (ideas of balance; the Greek humoral medicine (ideas of balance; the

influence of the hot and cold on the body)influence of the hot and cold on the body)– Early Judeo-Christian healing traditionsEarly Judeo-Christian healing traditions– Europe in the Middle Ages (utilizing Old World Europe in the Middle Ages (utilizing Old World

medicinal plants)medicinal plants)– Magical healing practices from Medieval Magical healing practices from Medieval

witchcraftwitchcraft– Moorish influences (folk illnesses such as Moorish influences (folk illnesses such as mal mal

de ojode ojo, homeopathic concepts and common , homeopathic concepts and common home remedies for conditions such as earaches, home remedies for conditions such as earaches, burns and stomachaches)burns and stomachaches)

– Native American traditions (folk illnesses from Native American traditions (folk illnesses from pre-Columbian times such as fallen fontanel also pre-Columbian times such as fallen fontanel also known as known as caída de la molleracaída de la mollera))

– Extensive pharmacopeia of the New WorldExtensive pharmacopeia of the New World

Latino Health Care: Related Latino Health Care: Related IssuesIssuesTraditional healing artsTraditional healing arts

Three healing practices:Three healing practices:1.1. Material approaches to healing Material approaches to healing

(physical and supernatural healing) – (physical and supernatural healing) – nivel materialnivel material

2.2. Spiritual healing and spiritualism – Spiritual healing and spiritualism – nivel espiritualnivel espiritual

3.3. Psychic healing – Psychic healing – nivel mentalnivel mental

Latino Health Care: Related Latino Health Care: Related IssuesIssuesUse of Use of curanderismocuranderismo

Characteristics predicting use of a Characteristics predicting use of a curandero/acurandero/a– AgeAge (≤ 39 years) (≤ 39 years)– BilingualsBilinguals are more likely are more likely– Household income (>20,000)Household income (>20,000)

Low (<10,000)Low (<10,000)Middle (10,000-20,000)Middle (10,000-20,000)High (>20,000)High (>20,000)

– Education (post-high school)Education (post-high school)Elementary schoolElementary schoolMiddle schoolMiddle schoolHigh schoolHigh schoolPost-high schoolPost-high school

Latino Health Care: Related Latino Health Care: Related IssuesIssuesTraditional healing artsTraditional healing arts

– HerbsHerbs– CrucifixesCrucifixes– Holy waterHoly water– Pictures of Pictures of

saintssaints– CandlesCandles– AltersAlters

– PrayersPrayers– EggsEggs– FireFire– ChickensChickens– Incense Incense – Etc.Etc.

Objects used for ritualistic “cleansings” Objects used for ritualistic “cleansings” ((limpiaslimpias o o barridasbarridas):):

http://ojinaga.com/martincito.html

ReferencesReferencesCasey, M.M., Blewett, L.A. and Call, K.T. (2004) Casey, M.M., Blewett, L.A. and Call, K.T. (2004)

Providing health care to Latino immigrants: Providing health care to Latino immigrants: Community-based efforts in the rural Midwest. Community-based efforts in the rural Midwest. American Journal of Public Health,American Journal of Public Health, 9494 (10), 1709-1711. (10), 1709-1711.

Padilla, R., Gomez, V., Biggerstaff, S.L., and Mehler, P.S. Padilla, R., Gomez, V., Biggerstaff, S.L., and Mehler, P.S. (2001). Use of (2001). Use of CuranderismoCuranderismo in a public health care in a public health care system. system. Archives of Internal Medicine, 161 (10),Archives of Internal Medicine, 161 (10), 1336- 1336-1340.1340.

Ramirez, R.R. (2004). We the people: Hispanics in the Ramirez, R.R. (2004). We the people: Hispanics in the United States census 2000 special reports. United States census 2000 special reports. U.S. U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census BureauDepartment of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau..

Trotter, R.T. (2001). Curanderismo: A picture of Trotter, R.T. (2001). Curanderismo: A picture of Mexican-American folk healing. Mexican-American folk healing. The Journal of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 7Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 7 (2), 129- (2), 129-131.131.

Valdez, J. and de Posada, R.G. (2006). Strategies for Valdez, J. and de Posada, R.G. (2006). Strategies for improving Latino healthcare in America: Report of the improving Latino healthcare in America: Report of the Latino healthcare taskforce.Latino healthcare taskforce.

http://www.censusscope.org/us/map_hispanicpop.htmlhttp://www.censusscope.org/us/map_hispanicpop.htmlhttp://staff.washington.edu/kfreeman/Freeman-STC2002-http://staff.washington.edu/kfreeman/Freeman-STC2002-Latinohealthcom.PDFLatinohealthcom.PDF