title: The Role of Health Information Sources in Decision-Making Among Hispanic Mothers During Their Children's First 1000 Days of Life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This qualitative research aimed to explore how health information sources inform decision-making among Hispanic mothers during their children's first 1000 days of life (conception-age 24 months), and to generate appropriate health information sources and communication strategies for future interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted seven focus groups with 49 Hispanic women who were pregnant or had children <2 years old. Domains included interpersonal and media sources, source trustworthiness, dealing with contradictory information, and how information affects decision-making. We used immersion/crystallization process for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Trusted health information sources included health care providers, female and male family members, BabyCenter.com and other Internet sources, selected social media, and television. Some immigrant women reported preferring the Internet citing less established local support networks. Women highlighted the importance of validating health information through checking multiple sources for consistency and resolving contradictory information. Mothers expressed interest in receiving reliable website links from healthcare professionals and outreach to extended family.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cultural factors, including immigration status, are important in understanding the use of health information sources and their role in decision-making about pregnancy and child health among Hispanic mothers. Healthcare providers and public health professionals should consider Hispanic mothers health information environment and provide culturally-relevant communication strategies and interventions during this high information-seeking time period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge Building, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. scriss@mail.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Shaniece
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Criss
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.|Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 15th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Woo Baidal
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge Building, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.|Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, 111 Brewster Street, Pawtucket, RI, 02860, USA.
authors.forename: Roberta E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.affiliation: Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 15th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Meghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.affiliation: Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 15th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.affiliation: Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 15th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Elsie M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Taveras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003657:Decision Making; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Decision-making; Early childhood; Health information; Hispanic; Infants; Mothers; Pregnancy