Mexican Traditional Medicine: Application of a Traditional and Complementary Medicine System to Improve Opioid Use Treatment in Latinos

Abstract

Background: Initially considered a primarily rural, White issue, opioid use and overdose rates have risen faster for Latinos (52.5%) than for White, non-Hispanics (45.8%) from 2014 to 2016. With an estimated 45% to 65% of Latino immigrant families using Mexican traditional medicine (MTM) practices before seeking Western medical services, these practices could be used as a method to increase access to care and improve outcomes. Practice Model: Although not well known, MTM is founded on a defined set of theoretical tenets that comprise a whole medical system as defined by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Whole medical systems are characterized as complete systems of theory and practice that develop independently and parallel allopathic medicine. Classifying MTM as a whole medical system to encourage further research and utilization of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) practices could help improve health outcomes for Latino patients. Specific T&CM practices that could be used in opioid treatment integration to decrease stigma and increase treatment utilization are then discussed. Conclusion: Incorporating T&CM practices will allow more effective, culturally competent and culturally sensitive health care provision for Latino immigrants in the United States to decrease stigma, improve health care outcomes, and address disparities in opioid use treatment.

Traditional Medicine and Help-Seeking Behaviors for Health Problems Among Somali Bantu Refugees Resettled in the United States

“…Such findings indicate the need for a broader, more inclusive vision of health care and its potential benefits. For example, thought has been given as to how Mexican traditional medicine can be utilized and integrated along with formal health care to address substance use among migrants in the United States (Sorrell, 2020). Along with this current study, this body of work suggests that incorporating medical pluralism into every day practice with migrant populations has the potential to decrease health disparities among migrant groups.…”

Traditional Healers as Health Care Providers for the Latine Community in the United States, a Systematic Review

“…Traditional and complementary services, such as THs, can be more acceptable to some members of the Latine community because these culturally competent and sensitive approaches can improve health outcomes, decrease stigma, and address disparities in access to treatments. 48 Barriers to biomedical health care identified were high cost of services, distance to providers, lack of transportation, and limited hours of availability of services, all of which contribute to participants' frequent use of THs. 35 Another study found comparable results citing problems with communication, establishing financial eligibility, and extremely long waits for medical appointments.…”

“…THs could work alongside public health and medical professionals to educate them on cultural humility and cultural relevance, thereby perhaps engendering more trust in the biomedical/medical system as cited by one study highlighting this pairing as a beneficial partnership. 48 …”

“I’m a Survivor”: Perceptions of Chronic Disease and Survivorship Among Individuals in Long-Term Remission from Opioid Use Disorder

“…First, our study results may not be generalizable to patients from different races and ethnicities given our study population reflected that of Baltimore's population which is 63% Black and 28% non-Hispanic White with people of all other races/ ethnicities making up 9%. 40 Second, there is the risk that participants may exhibit a type of social desirability bias where they may use biomedical terms because they think is expected of them but may still hold perspectives that differ. 41 This social desirability bias might be more significant for three of the participants who receive care from the study author conducting the interviews.…”