Use of Folk Medicine by Elderly Mexican-American Women

Abstract

There is a vast anthropological/sociological literature on the use of folk healers in Hispanic (Mexican - American) communities. While the use of folk healers has decreased with urbanization, acculturation, and increased education, recent studies done in Dallas, Texas, show that elderly Hispanic women are familiar with, and use a variety of informal healing methods and substances for a variety of illnesses, both physical and mental. The folk-healing system is used to supplement the formal scientific one, rather than replace it. Informants seemed to have a clear idea about the point at which one or the other should be consulted. There are a variety of herbs readily available for use and sold in boticas or botanicas.

Chinese Health Beliefs of Older Chinese in Canada

“…Cultural health beliefs play a vital role in the decision-making process, as to when and from whom medical care should be taken (Murguia, Zea, Reisen, & Peterson, 2000;Roy, Torrez, & Dale, 2004). Studies show that herbs, plants, other natural products, and traditional or alternative medicines, along with folk healing and spiritualism, are used as a substitute for or supplement to biomedical treatment by different cultural and ethnic groups (Higginbothan, Trevino, & Ray, 1990;Mayers, 1989;Padilla, Gomez, Biggerstaff, & Mehler, 2001;Rivera, 1988). Also, the cultural context of indigenous healers and healing is the main rationale behind the use of such medicines (Freund & McGuire, 1995).…”

The Use of Folk Healing and Healers by Six Latinos Living in New England: A Preliminary Study

“…However, a number of studies found that Latinos living in urban areas also use folk healing and folk healers (Roeder, 1988). Most of the studies on folk healing in the Latino or Hispanic cultures in the United States have been on Mexican Americans living in urban and rural communities in the West and Southwest (Applewhite, 1995;Mayers, 1989;Rivera, 1988;Roeder, 1988). Little attention has been given to Latinos living in urban areas of the eastern United States, who often come from countries other than Mexico.…”

“…Curandera/os are folk healers who treat individuals with physical as well as traditional and spiritual illnesses (Applewhite, 1995;Mayers, 1989;Trotter & Chavira, 1981). Traditional illnesses such as the "evil eye" are those that have been brought about by supernatural means and can only be treated by curanderos.…”

Review-Article: Postmodern archaeology with a dash of magic realism

“…However, when people who were brought up on home remedies and the mediation of healers to deal with illness and physical discomfort move to other social environments, they only turn to these remedies in extreme cases, when medicine offers no solution. Even elderly people who are used to such traditional means do not use them instead of medicine when they move to places with better healthcare services, but rather only to supplement it (Keefe 1981;Sánchez Mayer 1989). People change in accordance with their circumstances.…”