BHARUCHA, DIANA X.1, BETH MORLING2, and RICHARD A. NIESENBAUM1.* 1Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104-5586; 2Psychology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104-5586. - Plants as Drugs: How do Latinos and Non-Hispanic White Communities Use and Define Herbal Medicines?
Our objective was to investigate the use of and attitudes about herbal
medicines in a variety of groups. One hundred twenty-five surveys were
collected from people of varying professional, ethnic, age, and
economic groups from the Lehigh Valley, PA and Orange County, NY.
Surveys were constructed based on the Theory of Planned
Behavior. Attitudes toward use of herbal medicines, subjective
norm (looking at the views of the subjects' family and friends), and
control over access to herbal medicines were quantified to compare how
gender, profession, and ethnicity affect past and future intent of use
of herbal medicines. Data were analyzed using regression and path
analyses. There were significant differences among ethnic groups and
between the health versus non-health professionals, but not between
gender groups, in their attitudes toward and use of herbal medicines.
A Northern Pennsylvania Latino sample compared to a non-Hispanic
sample had a more positive attitude towards herbal medicines as well
as a different definition of what substances they consider to be
herbal medicines. Attitudes predicted herbal medicine use in both of
these ethnic groups; however, correlates of a positive attitude were
different in the two groups.
Key words: ethnic groups, herbal medicine, Theory of Planned Behavior