Listening to the quiet voices of hispanic migrant children about health

There is a paucity of literature related to school-aged migrant children's perceptions of their own health. To best provide culturally competent care, more information is needed about migrant children's experiences. Focus-group methodology allowed the voices of migrant children to be heard by primary health care providers at a summer school program for children of migrant farm workers in south Georgia. Seventy-three children participated in 14 focus-group sessions. Six themes emerged from the data that were analyzed by using a qualitative software system. They are healthy behaviors, acculturation issues, environmental influences, health care actions, health behavior outcomes, and learning needs. Emerging patterns within each theme render insight about these migrant children. The findings suggest implications for pediatric nurses related to culturally competent care. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company