Parental Accounts of Children's Asthma Care: The Role of Cultural and Social Capital in Health Disparities

Abstract

This article explores the roles of cultural and social capital in shaping parental experiences with children's health care in order to better understand how socioeconomic status (SES) functions as a fundamental cause of health disparities. Specifically, accounts given by 53 socioeconomic and racially/ethnically diverse parents about their experiences managing their child's asthmatic health care are considered. Key sources of cultural capital include a college education, being born or raised in the U.S., and employment in the health care field. Cultural capital helped parents solve problems and make informed decisions about health care. Important sources of social capital included relationships with doctors, school nurses, and friends. Social capital helped parents acquire useful recommendations about providers and assisted them in meeting basic health needs. Parents with little economic and cultural capital deployed social capital as a substitute, which was less effective in the health care field. Abilities to harness cultural and social capital varied based on race, ethnicity, and social class with non-Hispanic white/affluent parents being most successful at deploying cultural and social resources. Considerations of how social and cultural capital influence parents' strategies for managing children's chronic illness shed light on the processes that contribute to the persistence of SES-based health disparities.