Folk remedy use in the inner city

Background. Folk remedies (FRs) are common in some minority communities wit hin the United States. However, little information is available about the u se of FRs in the inner city. The objectives of this study were to identify the prevalence and types of FRs used in the inner cin: to characterize the population using FRs, and to study patient attitudes toward discussing FR;w ith physicians. Methods. We interviewed 71 patients over the age of 18 who visited an inner city ambulatory clinic. Results. The rate of FR use ranged from 10% to 50% among common medical con ditions, with most patients (59%) using at least one remedy. Folk remedy us e did not correlate with patient age. Most patients used FRs because they b elieved them to be efficacious, and most felt comfortable discussing FRs wi th their physicians. Conclusions, Inner city residents of all ages use FRs to treat illness. The se FRs are benign and consist of common household items. Health care worker s should feel comfortable discussing FRs with their patients since their pa tients are comfortable with the topic.