Perceptions and Challenges: Postpartum Care Among Korean Americans Through an Online Community

PURPOSE: This study aims to obtain the understanding of Korean immigrants' postpartum care expectations and experiences as they tend to differ from the dominant culture in the United States. DESIGN: Using an interpretative qualitative method, 305 questions and 1,224 replies on a bulletin board forum in a major Korean online community were examined. The postings were identified through a keyword search and a subsequent categorization of the resulting questions. FINDINGS: A qualitative analysis provided descriptive knowledge regarding postpartum care and the associated beliefs widespread among Korean Americans, struggles with the issues they face during postpartum care, and the vulnerability of new Korean mothers to the negative effects of experiencing unmet needs. DISCUSSION: The results pointed to the significance of understanding the concerns regarding postpartum care needs among the Korean immigrant women. Furthermore, the outcomes illustrate the variations in cultural beliefs and practices of postpartum care needed for health care providers.