The Uses of Herbal Medicine in Health Care Practices of Hmong Refugees, and Policy Implications in Merced County, California

摘要

The purpose of this research was to study the uses of herbal medicine in health care practices of Hmong refugees in Merced County, California and their policy implications. The sources of data for the research were photographic recordings of the herbs; interviews with members of the general Hmong population who use herbal medicine as well as herbalists, healers, and shamans; interviews with Western health care providers; and the administration of survey questionnaires to respondents drawn from the general Hmong population and the body of local Western health care providers. The number of Hmong surveyed was ninety-eight (98); and the Western health care providers numbered thirty-three (33) respondents. The statistical analyses that were used to analyze the data from the survey questionnaires were Descriptive Statistics, Multiple Regression Equation, and and Nonparametric Tests. These statistical analyses were facilitated by BMDP Statistical Software, Inc. The results of the analyses were used to assess the percentage of Hmong who use traditional herbal medicine before seeking Western health care treatment, to examine how and where the Hmong find herbs for treatment, and to assess how often Western health care providers see Hmong patients. Each photgraphic recording of an herb was accompanied by a description of the uses and methods of preparation of the herbal medicine. The descriptions were done in English, and in Hmong when translation was not appropriate or possible.