PREGNANCY-RELATED NUTRITIONAL BELIEFS, KNOWLEDGE, AND CULTURAL PRACTICES AMONG KENYAN IMMIGRANT WOMEN LIVING IN TENNESSEE

Abstract

With the rise of immigrants in the United States, maternal health has remained a major concern to the public health sector. As these immigrant patterns continue, it is worth understanding the nutritional beliefs and cultural practices among pregnant immigrant women in the United States. Relying on a sample of 10 immigrant women from Kenya aged between 24–40 and who have lived in Tennessee for a minimum of two years, I explored their traditional nutritional beliefs and cultural practices during pregnancy. Using a semi-structured interview guide, I examined key areas which include: foods that are avoided during pregnancy, foods that are recommended during pregnancy, and the reasons/ motivations behind increasing some foods while avoiding certain foods. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as the conceptual framework to interpret the qualitative data, I found that Kenyan immigrant women living in Tennessee know and subscribe to many Kenyan nutritional beliefs and food-related cultural practices during their pregnancy in the United States. Kenyan pregnant immigrant women subscribe to these nutritional beliefs for promotion and protection of the well-being of the mother and the baby.