HEALTH SERVICE RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in
Salons 10-12.
THURSDAY, 5:30-6:15 PM
Fang L.
Complementary and alternative medicine use by Chinese
Americans with mental illness.
Charles B. Wang Community Health Center lfang@cbwchc.org
PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the prevalence
of CAM use and socio-cultural and health determinants of CAM use.
METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was used to
explore the use of 27 CAM therapies in a community sample consisting
of 153 Chinese American adults with DSM-IV diagnosis. Study participants
were drawn from an urban primary care setting. Path analysis was employed
to assess the effects of demographic factors and socioeconomic status,
physical health status, mental health status, stigma of mental health,
acculturation and traditional belief toward mental health on CAM use.
All measures were back translated and piloted to ensure reliability
and cultural validity.
RESULTS: The study sample was predominately
made of middle-aged, foreign-born Chinese with low SES. Over 90% of
the study participants had used CAM during their lifetime, and over
80% reported current use. The most used CAM therapies were Chinese herbal
medicine (80.3%), megavitamin (60%), acupuncture (57.2%), massage (34.2%)
and Chinese massage (32%). Based on the path analysis results, old age
and great religiosity were the strongest predictors for CAM use, followed
by high education and poor physical health status. No relationship between
CAM use and mental health status was observed. The path model also suggested
poor physical health status might cause poor mental health status. Though
all three cultural factors did not affect CAM use, high acculturation
and high stigma toward mental health were associated with poor physical
health status; strong traditional belief about mental illness was related
to poor mental health status.
CONCLUSION: Findings suggested the potential
that a vast majority of Chinese immigrants with mental health needs
are using CAM. Based on a culturally sensitive path model that was derived
from the socio-behavioral model and TCM, factors associated with CAM
use included age, education, religiosity, and physical health status.
Although the direct and indirect effects of cultural variables on CAM
use were not significant, the strong direct relationship between cultural
factors and health status were observed. Mental health practitioners
who work with patients with ethic groups should be mindful of potential
CAM use. Program makers should look into possibility of a culturally
sensitive and appropriate program that integrates different paradigms.
Interested researchers are encouraged to use the tested model with different
ethnic populations.
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