Child Health and Childrearing: Traditional and Changed Patterns Among Hmong Women

Chapter 15: Child Health and Childrearing: Traditional and Changed Patterns Among Hmong Women

Overview

It has been evident from social science research that childrearing practices in any society occur in accordance with the social environment and cultural norms of the society. In most societies, however, childrearing practices share a common value: the preservation of life and the maintenance of the health and well-being of a newborn infant (Scheper-Hughes, 1991, 1992; Castle, 1994; Green et al., 1994; Gethin and Macgregor, 1998; Rice and Naksook, 1998). Childrearing in the Hmong culture is no exception. However, what may happen when people have to resettle in another society? An important question that needs to be looked at is whether they are able to continue their traditional practices or if they have to abandon or modify them. The answer to this question is largely unknown among immigrants to Australia. A study by Rice and Naksook of Thai mothers in Australia (Rice and Naksook, 1998) showed that most Thai mothers continued to follow Thai cultural beliefs and practices. The most common reason given among Thai mothers for such cultural continuity was their fear of the death of their newborn infants, in particular, death from the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). There is no research to show whether the same applies to Hmong mothers, who need to preserve the life of their newborn infants in order to continue Hmong society. This chapter intends to examine this issue in great detail.

In this chapter, childrearing beliefs and practices and their relation to child health in the Hmong culture is discussed. Focusing in particular on both traditional and changed patterns of beliefs and practices related to a newborn infant among the Hmong who are now living in Australia. In addition, discussion on the implications of Hmong cultural beliefs and practices for child health services and health promotion campaigns is provided.

Description

This chapter is based on research in Australia among Hmong women who are refugees from Southeast Asia, and who have migrated to Australia since 1975, but particularly in the last ten years. I conducted ethnographic interviews covering a number of issues concerning reproductive health, including the experience of childbearing, with 27 Hmong women in Melbourne. Descriptions of the Hmong community in Australia have been given in chapter 8 of this volume.

Speaker/Author

PRANEE LIAMPUTTONG RICE

Pranee was born in a small Malay town in the south of Thailand. She received her undergraduate and master's degrees from a Thai university. Pranee came to Australia to undertake her doctoral degree at Monash University in 1982. She has two daughters. Pranee is Senior Lecturer at the School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia. Previously she taught in the La Trobe School of Sociology and Anthropology. Her particular interests are in issues related to cultural and social influences on childbearing, childrearing and women's reproductive health. She has published several books and papers in these areas. Three of her books have been used widely in the health area: My 40 Days: A Cross-cultural Resource Book for Health Care Professionals in Birthing Services (1993); Asian Mothers, Australian Birth (editor, 1994); and Maternity and Reproductive Health in Asian Societies (editor, with Lenore Manderson, 1996). Her most recent books are Qualitative Research Methods: A Health Focus (with Douglas Ezzy, in press) and Living in a New Country: Understanding Migrants' Health (editor, in press).

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