Predictors of anticipated breastfeeding in an urban, low-income setting
Mahoney, M.C.; James, D.M.
Journal of Family Practice 49(6): 529-533
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0094-3509 PMID: 10923553 Document Number: 517791
Although the proportion of women who breast-feed is known to vary by demographic group, breast-feeding practices have not been sufficiently studied among urban, lower income African American populations seen in family medicine centres. A cross-sectional design was used to examine demographic, clinical, and attitudinal factors that affect anticipated infant feeding practices reported by postpartum women from a low-income, urban family practice setting. Data was analysed using chi-square, odds ratios (OR), and multiple logistic regression techniques. Among 66 respondents, only 3 subjects (4.5%) indicated that they planned to breast-feed exclusively, while an additional 11 subjects (16.7%) reported plans to use a combination of bottle-feeding and breast-feeding. Based on univariate analyses, women with <12 years of education were less likely to report anticipated breast-feeding. Otherwise, breast-feeding plans were not associated with subject demographic features or with reproductive characteristics. Respondents planning to bottle-feed noted that breast-feeding was too complicated. Logistic regression demonstrated an inverse relationship between level of maternal education and anticipated breast-feeding (OR=0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.05-0.35), and a direct association for encouragement from the infant's father or the woman's mother to breast-feed and anticipated breast-feeding (OR=12.4; 95% CI, 4.92-31.4). This study reports unique data regarding anticipated infant feeding practices among patients from an urban, low-income community served by a family medicine center. Findings from this study will be used to develop a family-centred educational intervention involving the mothers, grandmothers, and partners of pregnant patients to promote the benefits of breast-feeding in this community.