Some social and attitudinal correlates of health care among Mexican Americans

A sample of Mexican Americans was interviewed to ascertain their attitudes toward medical care and doctors and to determine what kinds of medical care they are receiving. Social characteristics of the respondents are examined to explain differences in 'folk' medical beliefs. Beliefs are most strongly related to the size of the Mexican American community the respondent lives in, but are not highly correlated with any specific characteristic. Finally, an attempt is made to explain variance in the utilization of medical services by both social and attitudinal variables. Utilization of medical services is found to be related more to class and age than either to attitudes toward modern medicine or to the respondent's closeness to 'Mexican culture'.