Being healthy: voices of adolescent women who are parenting.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this ethnography was to explore how adolescent women who are parenting describe what "being healthy" means to them and how they define their health needs.


METHODS
In addition to traditional ethnographic methods of interviewing and participant observation, photovoice was utilized.


RESULTS
Women's definitions of "being healthy" were grouped into three categories: (1) "taking care of my body," (2) "not being stressed out," and (3) "having what you need."


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this research study suggest that healthcare professionals should consider adolescent mothers knowledgeable actors of their own lives and move beyond current strategies to concentrate on issues, such as socioeconomic contexts, that hinder the health and nutrition of these young women.
Stevens
Christine A
CA
University of Washington, Tacoma, WA, USA. cstevens@u.washington.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D014861:Washington