J Cult Divers. 1996 Summer; 3(2): 29-34.

Utilization of curanderos among foreign born Mexican-American women attending migrant health clinics.

Skaer TL, Robison LM, Sclar DA, Harding GH.

College of Pharmacy, Washington State University in Pullman 99164-6510, USA.

This study explores the parallel use of "folk healers" and modern medicine among foreign born, Mexican-American women attending migrant health clinics in rural, eastern Washington state. Face-to-face interviews (n = 434) revealed that 21.4% of the women had sought care from curanderos within the past five years. Statistically significant predictors of utilization included Spanish as the language of preference (odds ratio = 2.58), having resided in the U.S. from one to five years (odds ratio = 2.82), and having received medicine or medical care from Mexico within the prior five years (odds ratio = 9.22). Implications for providers working in cross-cultural settings are discussed.