Keywords

Appalachia, complementary and alternative medicine, folk medicine, rural healthcare

 

Authors

  1. Barish, Rachel BSN, BSEd, RN
  2. Snyder, Audrey E. PhD, RN, FAANP

Abstract

Remote rural communities are often without adequate healthcare resources. To address the need in one area of Appalachia, an annual medical clinic is held to provide free healthcare services to residents of Appalachia. The Appalachian culture has a number of unique features that influence the healthcare practices of persons living in this region. Cultural values and beliefs about health and the use of complementary and alternative therapies among those attending the remote rural clinic are described, with faith healing, including prayer, and family-taught remedies being the most commonly used complementary and alternative medicine modalities.