Child health needs of rural Alabama Latino families

This article presents findings from a study that used focus group methodology to identify perceptions of Latino parents living in rural Alabama related to their children's health needs. Sixteen focus groups were held with a total of 89 parents (54 mothers and 35 fathers). The groups were led by native Spanish speakers, and group meetings were tape recorded. The main themes that emerged related to (a) what children need to be healthy, (b) common children's health problems, (c) what we do when children are ill, (d) barriers to receiving health care, (e) parenting issues and concerns, (f) experiences with children's schools, and (g) services needed. The findings can be used to guide the development of culturally appropriate, community-based programs to address the priority health needs of the growing Latino community in rural areas of the United States.