African American Alternative Medicine: Using Alternative Medicine to Prevent and Control Chronic Diseases

(Hardback)

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Description

An introduction to the field of African American alternative medicine, highlighting African American traditional healthcare practices, new qualitative fieldwork data from African American alternative health practitioners, and specific cultural ethnomedical strategies for the African American population. In order to examine the importance of alternative medicine to the African American population, this book focuses on the African American health belief system and the treatment strategies often used and documented. This book includes a cultural-historical view of alternative medicine's use within the African American community and shows how it was an integral part of African American culture. The author highlights a number of studies that examine alternative and complementary therapies associated with specific diseases among African Americans. Case studies are presented to show the types of alternative and complementary medicines used for specific diseases and to determine whether the alternative and complementary therapy was effective or not. Moreover, the cultural perceptions of the specific disease are presented to provide reasons why African Americans tend to use the particular alternative and complementary medical therapy for the disease. The book serves as a resource guide for students, healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and the general public.

Reviews

Bailey, a medical anthropologist with the US Department of Health and Human Services, examines the current popularity of alternative medicine in the US among all populations, and then looks at the use of alternative medical treatments among African Americans. In his comprehensive book, he explains the types of alternative therapies and delves into specific alternative medical treatments used by African Americans for many specific chronic diseases such as hypertension and cancer....All levels.-Choice
"Bailey, a medical anthropologist with the US Department of Health and Human Services, examines the current popularity of alternative medicine in the US among all populations, and then looks at the use of alternative medical treatments among African Americans. In his comprehensive book, he explains the types of alternative therapies and delves into specific alternative medical treatments used by African Americans for many specific chronic diseases such as hypertension and cancer....All levels."-Choice

Author Bio

Eric J. Bailey, PhD, is professor of anthropology and public health at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.