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Intergenerational conflict occurs when immigrant parents hold different values from those of their more rapidly acculturating offspring. These conflicts frequently involve disparate views related to sex roles and reproduction. A community-based study of 19 immigrant Haitian parent-adolescent pairs in South Florida compared their attitudes and values about sexuality and reproduction. Data were obtained through focused, open-ended interviews. Content analysis procedures at the level of words and phrases facilitated the categorization of responses. Data revealed considerable differences between parents and adolescents about the sources and types of information learned about reproduction and contraception, when such information is learned, and expectations regarding premarital sexual intercourse. Both parents and adolescents lacked accurate biomedical information about contraception, placed responsibility for contraceptive use primarily on the female partner, considered reproduction a natural rather than a medical event, and believed parents have the major responsibility for educating children about reproduction and contraception. Implications for culturally-appropriate health care center on increasing the role of the public health nurse in health education, minimizing intergenerational and intercultural conflict, and engaging the Haitian immigrant community in the promotion of reproductive health.

Thirty immigrant Haitian mothers in Southeast Florida were interviewed regarding their beliefs and practices about preventive health care (illness prevention and health maintenance measures) for infants and preschool children (up to age 5). All mothers used preventive health care measures from both the Western biomedical and traditional Haitian ethnomedical (folk) systems. Ninety-seven percent used magico-religious measures; 47% administered home remedies; 47% gave children over-the-counter drugs; and 35% utilized a variety of measures to ensure cold air did not enter neonates and cause illness or pain. The Haitian mothers considered the preventive health care measures effective because the children remained healthy and will likely use them again. They sought consultation from a variety of individuals who formed their health management groups and child caretaker networks. Infants and toddlers were considered at higher risk than newborns for illness due to "evil harm" inflicted by other people and/or voodoo spirits. Implications for transcultural nursing practice include developing community outreach programs, implementing nursing interventions that combine biomedical and ethnomedical preventive health care measures, and functioning as part of the health management group. The authors wish to thank Maude Vincent, R.N., for her assistance in data gathering and analysis.