Traditional Healing Spaces and Community Health During COVID-19: A Qualitative Study of Botánicas in South Texas

Botánicas are community-based establishments rooted in Latinx and Afro-Caribbean traditions that provide herbal remedies, spiritual counseling, and culturally grounded wellness practices. Although botánicas’ role in everyday community health has received scholarly attention, their function during public health crises has received limited empirical attention. This study examines how botánicas in San Antonio, the largest city in South Texas, operated and served their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among populations facing barriers to formal health care access. Semi-structured in-person interviews were conducted with owners and staff from five botánicas identified through online listings, community referrals, and neighborhood canvassing. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Five themes emerged: • Herbal remedies were used alongside biomedical care, particularly for clients without health insurance. • Botánicas remained open during the pandemic and adapted operations to maintain safe and accessible services. • Participants reported increased demand for herbal and spiritual remedies addressing respiratory symptoms, stress, and uncertainty associated with COVID-19. • Clientele were ethnically, religiously, and generationally diverse, with participants noting increased visits from younger patrons during the pandemic period. • Family-run business structures and intergenerational knowledge transmission were central to sustaining both botánica operations and community trust. These findings suggest that botánicas functioned as informal community health resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in areas where access to formal health care services was limited. Integrating botánicas into public health planning and emergency preparedness could strengthen culturally responsive crisis response, particularly in communities with limited health care access.