Child health care decision making and experiences of Caribbean women

The purposes of this study were to (a) obtain data about the child health care decision making and practices of immigrant English-speaking women from the Caribbean region and (b) describe their experiences with the U.S. health care system and providers of care.

A qualitative design with purposeful sampling was used. Data were obtained from 12 women through focus group interviews.

Three descriptive categories were identified: child/family focus, childhood illnesses and remedies, and relationships with providers. Findings included use of "parallel utilization" practices by the caretakers; use of herbs and other alternative practices; a strong informal social support network within the community; and frustration with and lack of trust in health care providers.

Immigrant children and children of immigrant Caribbean adults are a vulnerable population that may be at risk for poor health and mental health outcomes when receiving care from multiple or inconsistent providers, when providers are unaware of folk practices administered to these children by caretakers, and because of a lack of research about the efficacy of folk medicines used in children either alone or in combination with prescribed Western medicines.