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The decline of breast feeding among immigrant mothers is of concern to transcultural nurses and other health care professionals. A descriptive survey of 30 Cuban and 30 Haitian immigrant mothers in South Florida explored their feeding and weaning beliefs and practices. Findings revealed that social, economic, and political factors in their country of origin and in South Florida affected their traditional health-culture beliefs and practices related to breast and bottle feeding and weaning, initial fluid intake, introduction of supplemental foods, and administration of vitamins, minerals, and medications. Implications for transcultural nursing care are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failure of nurses and other health care providers to recognize the influence of culture on child development may lead to inappropriate expectations and mislabeling of children as developmentally slow. The effect of cultural influences on parental expectations of children was evident in a study of child-rearing beliefs of 30 Cuban and 30 Haitian immigrant mothers in South Florida. Both Cuban and Haitian children would be considered lagging developmentally when compared with measurements on the personal-social dimension of the Denver II and expectations of American society. Culture-specific implications for transcultural nursing care based on the concept of culture brokerage are discussed.

The problem of teenage pregnancy continues to impact private and public resources, affecting all socioeconomic and cultural groups. A key factor for nurse practitioners to consider when planning sex education programs is the differing parental attitudes toward teenage sexuality. These attitudes are especially important to keep in mind when dealing with parents from minority cultural groups, as these groups are often highly influential in determining the nature of adolescent sexual behavior and attitudes toward reproduction. A study of Cuban and Haitian child-rearing practices clearly demonstrates two divergent parental views of adolescent sexuality. Nurse practitioners must recognize these differing views, and individualize their approach, in order to develop culturally sensitive sex education programs for adolescents and their parents. Suggestions are provided for development of such programs for Cuban and Haitian parents and children.