Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Older Mexican Americans

Alternative medicine has received increasing attention from both the scientific and public communities. While the majority of current alternative medicine use is the result of interest in replacing or augmenting formal medical treatments, several cultures have long-standing traditions of herbal medicine use, particularly among older, more traditional members. Research in this area has been limited primarily to small-scale studies that identify herbal remedies popular in specific cultures. This study observes older Mexican Americans because a substantial proportion of this population continue to utilize traditional herbal remedies in their everyday life.