Describes the healing practices employed by Hmong parents to treat childhood illnesses as well as their beliefs about Western medicine. One parent from each of 21 families – representative of a large Laotian population living in California’s San Joaquin Valley – provided information about preventive health care practices, acute care remedies, and chronic care practices via a questionnaire developed by the investigators. Among the findings were that: (1) while 13 parents favored immunization, no other preventive health activity – such as vitamins, dental care, or physical examinations – was practiced; (2) most of the healing practices were aimed at acute illnesses and involved herbal remedies, spirit worship, use of talismans, and other rituals including consulting faith healers; (3) nearly all the participants considered Western medicine a measure of last resort usually requiring approval by a clan leader; and (4) surgery was viewed skeptically. Study participants were distrustful of the outcomes of Western medicine, and their interviews revealed a group enmeshed in folklore and ritualistic healing. At the same time, many of the remedies used by the parents were not harmful, according to Western medicine standards. The study offers health care providers insights into ways to develop more culturally sensitive health care interventions. (Description from source)
