Paper
Friday, 21 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Women and Family Issues & Strategies
Healthcare Experiences of International Adoption Families
Eileen M. Smit, MSN, RN, Department of Nursing, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI, USA
Learning Objective #1: discuss international adoption in the United States and adoption issues related to health care.
Learning Objective #2: discuss the health care experiences of international adoption families and identify how nurses can provide sensitive care that will help meet their unique needs.
Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the health care experiences of families who adopted a child born in another country. Design and Sample: A descriptive exploratory study with a convenience sample of 107 parents of internationally adopted children was used. Methodology: Parents recruited through international adoption listservs completed an online survey about their health care experiences when seeking care for their adopted child. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: The majority of adoptive parents thought their child’s birth in another country and international adoption had an impact on their child’s subsequent need for health care services. The child’s arrival in the United States was accompanied by repeated immunizations and diagnostic tests for diseases prevalent in the child’s birth country. The frequent unavailability of a family medical history for their child heightened the adoptive parents’ anxiety about potential health care problems. Some parents were more cautious about symptoms they observed in their adopted child and were more likely to seek health care when their child was ill. Adoption had ongoing social and psychological implications for the child and family. Some parents felt that, due to time constraints, health care providers did not explore the possible relationship of the child’s presenting problem to his/her life in an orphanage and the significant changes experienced by the entire family following the child’s adoption. First time parents and parents adopting an older child especially wanted information about parenting and attachment issues as well as medical treatment of their child. Parents believed it was important for health care providers to be knowledgeable about international adoption and the unique emotional and diagnostic needs of their children. Conclusions: International adoption families have unique health care needs that can be met by knowledgeable and sensitive health care providers.

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