Non-biomedical health care practices in the state of Morelos, Mexico: Analysis of an emergent phenomenon

Abstract

This paper gives the results of one of the first studies of non-biomedical health care services in the State of Morelos, Mexico. The socio-cultural matrix of the population of Morelos has attracted many practitioners of medical models which have no foundation in the rationale of the biomedical-scientific model. There is a considerable variety of non-biomedical therapists in the area of study which may be categorised in three groups: (a) traditional medicine (b) alternative medicine, and (c) faith healing. There are marked differences regarding the academic background of practitioners, the reasons why they engage in their practice, the types of financial strategies they use to provide care, the creation and utilisation of therapist networks, and, finally, in the type of population for whom they provide care. We strongly recommend further research on non-biomedical health care models in the state and in Mexico, since the importance of these models is growing as a result of the increasing demand for health care by a diversity of population groups.