Botánicas Function as Health Care Safety Nets Among Hispanic American Immigrants: A Brief Report.

As the U.S. population becomes more racially/ethnically diverse, the Hispanic American immigrant population has slowly grown in recent years. In the face of anti-immigrant policies, limited access to care, fear of deportation, discrimination, stigmatization, poverty, and other stressors, Hispanic American immigrants seek services from botánicas for religious, spiritual, medical, and psychosocial health reasons, including the accessibility and affordability of services from folk practitioners in these herbal dispensaries. Hispanics are the primary consumers of herbal remedies and complementary and alternative medicines in the United States. The purpose of this article is to emphasize the critical role of botánicas in the health and wellness of Hispanic American immigrants. Recommendations for health professionals are provided in the care of Hispanic Americans who utilize folk, traditional, and herbal medicines for health and healing.

Call for Inclusive and Diverse Suicide Prevention Strategies Among Cuban Americans: A Brief Report.

Suicide is a leading cause of death in Hispanics globally and nationally. Intentional death rates were higher in Cuba than Mexico in 2016. In the United States (US), suicide mortality rates were greater among Hispanics in rural than urban areas from 2001 to 2015. Although the US lacks suicide research in undocumented Hispanics, few studies have reported increased risk in immigrants. Limited research also indicates higher intentional death rates in Cuban Americans compared with other Hispanic American subgroups. However, suicide prevention strategies for at-risk Cuban Americans are lacking due to a scarcity of research among diverse Hispanics. Researchers could collaborate with health care providers to develop effective suicide prevention methods for Cuban Americans with suicidal problems. This report provides an overview of suicidal behavior in Hispanic Americans with a focus on Cuban Americans. Gaps related to the research topic, as well as recommendations for practice, research, and health policy, are provided in this report.

Hispanics, Addictions, and the Opioid Epidemic: Brief Report.

Opioid addiction is a public health concern. Opioid overdose death rates account for one third to a half of all global substance-related deaths. Opioid mortality rates increased nearly fivefold in the United States between 1999 and 2016. Recent research has found health care disparities in the United States among minority populations with opioid use disorder, particularly Hispanics. Current literature also suggests that a number of social and cultural factors, including the stigma linked to mental illness and treatment in the Hispanic culture, may further negatively contribute to the problem. This brief report pays close attention to the opioid epidemic in the United States and addresses issues related to the crisis among Hispanics. Recommendations for clinical practice, research, and health care policy are also discussed.