Complementary Therapies

There is an increasing trend of using Complementary and Alternative Interventions (CAI) to address mental health conditions. This research aims to bring awareness to how social workers integrate and utilize CAI in practice with clients. This study examined the following questions: (1) Do LCSWs use CAI in professional assessment and practice with clients, as well as in their own lives (i.e., in their personal/non-professional practice)?; (2a) What levels of CAI beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge do LCSWs report?; (2b) What demographic characteristics are associated with CAI beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge?; and (3) Controlling for relevant demographic characteristics (years of post-master’s practice, personal use of CAM/CAI, gender), what beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge are associated with CAI use in assessment and practice?

Jamaicans, the largest group of English-speaking Caribbean people living in the United States (US), have a history of using bush medicine/complementary therapies (CT) in diabetes management. However, no research described the emic views of Jamaican adults regarding how they select the bush medicine they use or how they know these are suitable to manage diabetes. The purpose of this focused ethnography was to explore and describe how Jamaican adults with diabetes mellitus who live in South Florida select and use complementary therapies for managing their diabetes. The objectives were to: (1) Explore the emic views of Jamaican adults about using CT to manage diabetes mellitus; (2) Describe the rationale given by Jamaicans adults for using CT to manage diabetes mellitus; (3) Analyze and synthesize the data gathered about use of CT for diabetes by Jamaican adults to see if their actions have cultural components that can serve as a basis
for providing culturally competent care.