A QUALITATIVE EXAMINATION OF MOTHER’S OPINIONS REGARDING POTENTIAL INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHY COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING PRACTICES AMONG NATIVE HAWAIIAN INFANTS RESIDING IN HAWAI‘I.

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2023

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Healthy complementary feeding practices influence long-term health and well-being. This is particularly important in populations like Native Hawaiians who experience greater health disparities than other population groups. Culturally appropriate health promotion programs focused on early infant feeding are needed in the Native Hawaiian community. This study sought to identify appropriate messages and strategies conceptualized using the Pilinahā Indigenous Framework for Health on early infant feeding in the Native Hawaiian community. Participants in this qualitative study were recruited from a larger longitudinal study, Exploring Dietary Diversity of Native Hawaiian Infants. Participants were asked to take part in optional focus groups to share their ideas on strategies and messages for healthy complementary feeding practices. Focus groups were conducted until theme saturation was achieved. In-depth interviews were also included as a complement to the data collected in the focus groups. Transcripts were analyzed by two independent researchers and a code book was established. Themes were identified and then categorized within the four connections of the Pilinahā Indigenous Framework for Health. Participants were approximately 32 years old, with the majority living with their spouse/partner and child(ren), having a college degree or higher and were employed. Data from four focus groups (n=8) and three one-on-one interviews (n=3) were contextualized using the Pilinahā framework to see the interconnectedness of themes. Connection to self was observed through educational components. Connection to community was practiced through the involvement of family, the community, health care professionals, and farmers when it came to creating a service or program that would assist Native Hawaiian mothers in providing healthy complementary foods to their infants. Sharing experiences, social media platforms, incentives, building relationships and supplemental nutrition programs were also observed in the connection to the community. Connection to place was observed through accessibility, convenience as well as components of ‘food as medicine.’ Connection to the Past, Present and Future was observed through the importance of promoting and integrating traditional practices. This study identified strategies and messages operationalized through the Pilinahā Indigenous Framework for Health. This study will inform the development of programs focused on healthy early infant feeding in the Native Hawaiian community. This is beneficial because of the insight on the strategies and messages needed for Native Hawaiian mothers to provide healthy complementary foods to their infants, which can be used to inform the directions for future research and program development. Identifying strategies specific to Native Hawaiians is the first step to creating intentional and integral programs that encourage healthy complementary feeding practices.

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Nutrition, Complementary feeding, Infants, Native Hawaiian, Strategies and messages

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43 pages

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