Frequency and Perceptions of Herbal Medicine use Among Hmong Americans: a Cross Sectional Survey

Abstract

To determine the frequency and perceptions of herbal medicine use among Hmong Americans. Cross-sectional telephone survey. Sacramento, California Hmong community. Out of 118 subjects reached, 77 (65.3 %) reported lifetime use of herbal medicines. A majority of respondents agreed that herbal medicines were able to treat the body as a whole. Respondents felt that a leaflet of information indicating uses/side effects would be important to include for herbal medicines. Herbal medicine use was commonly reported among Hmong Americans. Thus, health care providers should be encouraged to discuss these alternative medicines with their Hmong American patients.

Unique Considerations for the Management of Gout in the Hmong Population: Examining Tertiary Encounters at a Large Regional Health Care System

“…Prior studies have shown considerable confusion about the difference between curing and controlling illness, and many Hmong people felt that medication only needed to be taken when one was feeling unwell, or if there are other tangible signs of illness (12). Many Hmong patients who seek care from US physicians also seek care from Hmong herbalists and shamans for the same complaint and will often use all treatment modalities together; a prior study found that 65% of Hmong people polled reported the use of traditional herbal medicines with illness (14). One survey showed that a majority of Hmong patients stated that traditional herbal medicine was easier to get than Western medicine, and that they believed herbal medicine to be just as or more effective than Western medicine because "herbal medicine treats the whole body" not just a specific health problem (14).…”

“…Many Hmong patients who seek care from US physicians also seek care from Hmong herbalists and shamans for the same complaint and will often use all treatment modalities together; a prior study found that 65% of Hmong people polled reported the use of traditional herbal medicines with illness (14). One survey showed that a majority of Hmong patients stated that traditional herbal medicine was easier to get than Western medicine, and that they believed herbal medicine to be just as or more effective than Western medicine because "herbal medicine treats the whole body" not just a specific health problem (14). Further, patients expected Western medicines to have an immediate and powerful effect, and if this was not observed, medications were felt to be unhelpful (10).…”

Alternative Treatments That the Patients Apply Before Presenting

“…Lor ve ark. [8] çapraz kesitsel çalışmasında ise en sık kullanım sebepleri karın ağrısı, dispepsi, soğuk algınlığı, hipertansiyon, hiperlipidemi ve diyabet tedavisi olarak bulunmuştur. [9] Kilo verme, bizim çalışmamızda önemli bir kullanım sebebi iken diğer çalışmada yer almamasının nedeni, hastalarımızın yaş ortalamasının daha yüksek olması veya çalışmaların yürütüldüğü toplumların farklılığı olabilir.…”

“…Hastaların alternatif ve tamamlayıcı tedavileri kullanma sebeplerinden en sık olanı kilo verme olup, toplamda 10 hasta (%9,6) bu amaçla tedavi almıştı. Diğer sık kullanım sebepleri arasındaysa öksürük (%3,8), hiperlipidemi (%3,8), dispepsi (%3,8), kabızlık (3,8) ve baş ağrısı (%1,0) bulunuyordu. Kullanım sebebi kronik hastalık varlığına bakılmaksızın cinsiyete göre ayrıldığındaysa erkeklerde en sık sebepler öksürük (%7,7), sırt ağrısı (%5,8), kabızlık (%5,8), kilo verme (%5,8), erektil disfonksiyon (%5,8) ve dispepsi (%5,8) olarak sıralanmıştı.…”

Paper Spirits and Flower Sacrifices: Hmong Shamans in the 21st Century

“…Illness can have natural or supernatural causes, necessitating different treatments and healers. While herbal remedies are useful in treating illnesses with natural causes, spiritual healers are called upon to treat illnesses with supernatural causes (Lor, Moua, & Ip, 2016). Research in the decades following migration to the United States described the patterns of utilization of traditional and biomedical care providers.…”