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- Title
Beliefs about asthma and complementary and alternative medicine in low-income inner-city African-American adults.
- Authors
George, Maureen; Birck, Kathleen; Hufford, David J.; Jemmott, Loretta Sweet; Weaver, Terri E.
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>The gap in asthma prevalence, morbidity, and mortality is increasing in low-income racial/ethnic minority groups as compared with Caucasians. In order to address these disparities,alternative beliefs and behaviors need to be identified.<bold>Objective: </bold>To identify causal models of asthma and the context of conventional prescription versus complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) use in low-income African-American (AA) adults with severe asthma.<bold>Design: </bold>Qualitative analysis of 28 in-depth interviews.<bold>Participants: </bold>Twenty-six women and 2 men, aged 21 to 48, who self-identified as being AA, low-income, and an inner-city resident.<bold>Approach: </bold>Transcripts of semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews were inductively analyzed using the constant comparison approach.<bold>Results: </bold>Sixty-four percent of participants held biologically correct causal models of asthma although 100% reported the use of at least 1 CAM for asthma. Biologically based therapies, humoral balance, and prayer were the most popular CAM. While most subjects trusted prescription asthma medicine, there was a preference for integration of CAM with conventional asthma treatment. Complementary and alternative medicine was considered natural, effective, and potentially curative. Sixty-three percent of participants reported non adherence to conventional therapies in the 2 weeks before the research interview. Neither CAM nor nonmedical causal models altered most individuals(93%) willingness to use prescription medication. Three possibly dangerous CAM were identified.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Clinicians should be aware of patient-generated causal models of asthma and use of CAM in this population. Discussing patients' desire for an integrated approach to asthma management and involving social networks are 2 strategies that may enhance patient provider partnerships and treatment fidelity.
- Subjects
ASTHMA; ALTERNATIVE medicine; ETHNIC groups; AFRICAN Americans; CAUCASIAN race; DRUG prescribing; MEDICAL research; QUALITATIVE research; ASTHMA treatment; BLACK people; POVERTY; WHITE people
- Publication
JGIM: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2006, Vol 21, Issue 12, p1317
- ISSN
0884-8734
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00624.x