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The article, firstly, deals with some definitions and classifications of medicines generated in the social science and biomedical fields. Then, the author proposes a systematization of medicines, incorporating new categories, as well as the notion of ethno-medical configuration, to explain healthcare in intercultural contexts. The categories introduced are biomedicine, traditional medicine, alternative medicine, religious therapy or medicine, and lay-treatment. Finally, as an illustrative example, the paper focuses on the ethno-medical configuration of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The goal of this systematization is proposing categories that consider the understandings and behaviors of social actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the kinesiology users' perceptions among middle class individuals of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires city, linking these perceptions with the view of the alternative medicines offer, especially the options that include corporal-work techniques. The article mainly explores the individuals' ways of healing of whom have selected the option of alternative therapies, which are the most of the cases recorded during the field-work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Risk perception (RP) describes patient´s judgment of the likelihood of experiencing something unpleasant, and has been associated to the adoption of health behaviors. Current rheumatoid arthritis (RA) guidelines recommend early and intensive treatment, although patients also commonly use Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). We aimed to investigate if significant RP was associated to CAM use in Hispanic RA outpatients and to describe additional associated factors. Methods: Between March and August 2019, 266 consecutive outpatients were invited to a face-to-face interview to collect socio-demographic and RA-related information, to assess comorbidity and the following patient-reported-outcomes: pain, overall-disease and treatment adherence with visual analogue scales, disease activity with RAPID-3, RP with a validated questionnaire, and CAM use with a translated and cross-culturally adapted for Argentina version of the International CAM questionnaire. Medical records were reviewed to corroborate the data provided by the patients. CAM use definition was restricted to "in the last 3 months". Significant RP was defined based on published cut-off. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate factors associated to CAM use. The study received IRB approval. Results: There were 246 patients included, primarily middle-aged women, with substantial disease duration, moderate disease activity and 70 patients (28.5%) had significant RP. Two hundreds patients (81.3%) were CAM users. Significant RP (OR: 2.388, 95%CI: 1.044–5.464, p = 0.039) and access to Federal health care system (OR: 2.916, 95%CI: 1.081–7.866, p = 0.035) were associated to CAM use. Conclusions: Patient´s perception of RA-related negative consequences was associated to recent CAM use in Hispanic RA outpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The state of conservation of the traditional cultures of Northwest Argentina is variable and somewhat problematic but to a lesser or a greater extent all the peoples are related to an hegemonic culture. We present a case study carried out in the rural communities of the Yungas biome (Salta) where the extent of isolation varies as does the type of access to public health services. The use of medicinal plants in the area is ordinary and widely spread. Methods: The data can be organized in two categories, as medical systems public records (for the regional hospital at Los Toldos), and as ethnobotanical sets. A total of 59 surveys to 40 interviewees were undertaken using a semi structured questionnaire. We present an analysis of the relative importance of the medicinal herbs used in reproductive medicine considering the plants used in the traditional medical system and the factors that can affect the relationship between formal medicine and patients. We further analized how the degree of accessibility to the local hospital influences the diversity of use of plant species used to assist deliveries and to decrease infant mortality in children minor than one year of age. Results: In reproductive medicine, 13 ailments and/or different physiological states are locally identified and treated. Local population uses 108 ethnospecies for this kind of illnesses. According to the local conception the hot/cold imbalance could be the principal cause for reproductive illnesses; pregnancy may have natural or supernatural origin, post partum and menstruation involve similar sanitary risks, and neonatal care has a strong magic connotation. In relation with the formal medicine, the more accessible is the health center the more women assist to it. We have not found a relation between accessibility and infant mortality. Conclusion: In the local reproductive medicine, most of the practices are concerned with the hot/cold balance. According to their importance the factors involved are: the family medicine, the midwife, and the formal doctors. Plants have an important role; however there is a lack of total agreement among the families who use them. Reluctance to institutional deliveries may be due to the weak relationship between patients and doctors, and the lack of logistic assistance to delivering mothers coming from far away locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]