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Despite extensive research on family strength theories, to date there has been a paucity of studies that have adopted a strengths-based approach to understanding Asian American families. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine perceptions of family strengths among 12 Asian American parents and children. The findings uncovered 6 themes: (a) parents providing practical help, (b) open communication, (c) recreational activities, (d) respect for children's autonomy, (e) comparisons with other Asian American families, and (f) parents' sacrificial love. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

PurposeThe paper examines African immigrant parents' views on dental decay and whether such views affect their decision to obtain dental insurance for their children. The paper also examines the cultural underpinnings of the immigrants' oral health care practices.Design/methodology/approachThe data for the study were collected in the states of Indiana and Virginia. The data were collected in 2005 by the author and a research assistant. A total of 420 parents (220 males and 200 females) took part in the research, answering questions about 601 children.FindingsThe results indicate that a sizeable number of African immigrant school‐aged children are denied dental health due to a combination of cultural perceptions on dental health (such as families taking responsibility for cleaning their teeth themselves), parental ignorance on dental health, parents' perception of dental health practice in the USA, and the parents' weak financial standing.Originality/valueThe study is of considerable importance to dental care providers, public health specialists, social workers, and more especially the school systems that have African immigrant children, because as people who provide information and guidance to such immigrants, knowing about how the immigrants' cultural backgrounds influence their decisions about dental care will help to serve the immigrants more effectively.

There are health benefits to breastfeeding for both mothers and their children. The preventive health effects of breastfeeding continue into adulthood, lowering rate of various chronic illnesses. African-American women, especially of lower socioeconomic status, are less likely to breastfeed in comparison to their racial and ethnic counterparts. The purpose of this study is to explore how African-American women experience breastfeeding in the early stages of postpartum care. Two focus groups (N = 20, 10 in each group) were conducted with African-American mothers. Results revealed that participants felt that there were health benefits to breastfeeding, and organizations such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provided support. However, participants stated that lack of information, negative perceptions, and unforeseen circumstances were barriers to breastfeeding. This study proposes support and interventions for this group to increase breastfeeding among this population.

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