Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Low-Income African American and Caucasian Adults With Asthma

The rates of asthma-related deaths and disease are disproportionately high among African Americans compared to Caucasians. Surveys indicate that middle- and upper-income Caucasians use more CAM than African Americans, but the therapies utilized are different. This study will determine how well people with persistent asthma adhere to their treatment and whether the type and frequency of use of CAM affects treatment adherence.

Participants will begin this study by taking part in an interview about adherence to their current inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) regimen and their personal CAM use. After completing the interview, participant adherence to their ICS regimen will be monitored for 6 weeks. Depending on the type of ICS participants are taking, monitoring will be conducted either by participant self-reporting or electronic monitors that record the time and date of medication inhalation. Participant adherence will also be assessed at study completion.

Inclusion criteria

• Physician-diagnosed asthma with episodes that last for long periods of time
• Medicaid recipients
• Self-identify as African American or Caucasian
• Daily use of inhaled corticosteroids
• Able to speak English
• Have mental capacity to understand and participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Prisoners
• History of smoking at least ten packs of cigarettes per year
• Currently smoke more than one and a half packs of cigarettes per week