title: Child health promotion and protection among Mexican mothers.
abstract: For numerous reasons, children of Mexican descent experience many health disparities. One strategy for addressing these disparities is to increase health promotion and protection behaviors that mothers use with their preschool children. Limited literature is available on such practices used by mothers of Mexican descent with their healthy preschool children. This study explored child health promotion and protection practices used by mothers of Mexican descent. A naturalistic design, guided by Spradley's ethnographic interview techniques, was selected for this study. The sample included 9 Mexican-descent mothers from an urban U.S. community with healthy preschool children. Despite significant challenges, participants promoted and protected the health of their preschool children by al cuidado (taking care) and by being al pendiente (being mindful) of balancing the health of their children's bodies, minds, and souls. Understanding these mothers' approaches allows the creation of culturally sensitive health programs that can build on existing maternal strengths.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. mg26@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Martina Raquel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reifsnider
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002654:Child Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data