Health seeking behavior of parents of migrant children

Background: Children of immigrant families accounted for all growth in the number of children in the US. Lack of a usual source of health care and being in fair or poor health are the two most commonly reported problems among children of immigrant families.

Objective: To investigate the concept of “healthy children” among the immigrant population, perceived cause of the illnesses, type of treatment and choice of providers, most valued and least preferred attributes of certain type of treatment and providers, and barriers to obtaining care from their preferred choice of treatment and providers.

Methods: A qualitative data collection using focus groups of Hispanic/Latino and Cambodian who reside in the city of Long Beach, California.

Results: Most participants defined “healthy children” as being happy and active. Health problems were mostly caused by the environment where they live such as contaminated and polluted air, dirty environment, change of weather and places the children go to, such as school and surrounding areas. Treatments or practices when the children got sick include both home remedies and modern medicine. Source of trustworthy information include their family doctors, family members and internet. They preferred providers who practice nearby their home and open after hours, spend time to listen, keep the appointment time and being flexible with their language and not too costly.  

Conclusion: Understanding individuals’ perceptions and practices provides insights for service delivery. Barriers to seek care include affordability (cost), accessibility (location, office hours, appointment time, waiting time), and language still need to be addressed.