Published online March 1, 2005
PEDIATRICS Vol. 115 No. 3 March 2005, pp. e297-e304 (doi:10.1542/peds.2004-1443)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Smitherman, L. C.
Right arrow Articles by Mathur, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Smitherman, L. C.
Right arrow Articles by Mathur, A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Office Practice
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE

The Use of Folk Remedies Among Children in an Urban Black Community: Remedies for Fever, Colic, and Teething

Lynn C. Smitherman, MD*, James Janisse, PhD{ddagger} and Ambika Mathur, PhD*

* Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan
{ddagger} Center of Healthcare Effectiveness Research, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan

Background. Folk remedy use is universal, occurring in all cultures. Folk remedies have been and still are relied on in the black community. In this study, folk remedies refer to herbs, over-the-counter medications, and items traditionally used for cooking that are used to treat a variety of ailments.

Objective. To identify folk remedies used to treat fever, colic, and teething among black children in Detroit, Michigan.

Methods. Structured interviews were conducted with caregivers of healthy black children <2 years of age who were patients of the general pediatric clinic at Children's Hospital of Michigan. Descriptive analysis of the frequency distribution of the responses was performed.

Results. One hundred seven caregivers agreed to participate. All participants were familiar with the use of folk remedies. Most caregivers learned of these remedies from their mothers or grandmothers. Older parents were more likely to use folk remedies, but there was no difference in remedy use among different levels of maternal education.

Conclusions. The knowledge and use of folk remedies were active in this black community. Their use seems to be cultural, rather than attributable to decreased access to health care. Physicians should be aware of these remedies, to educate families about remedies that may be harmful. Most remedies used pose no threat to health. In some cases, remedies may be blended with traditional medical treatments to ensure better patient compliance.

Key Words: folk medicine • black • children • urban

Accepted Oct 21, 2004.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?