Despite the documented health and emotional benefits of breast-feeding to women and
children, breast-feeding rates are low among subgroups of women. In this study, we
examine factors associated with breast-feeding initiation in low-income women, including
Theory of Planned Behavior measures of attitude, support, and perceived control, as
well as sociodemographic characteristics. A mail survey, with telephone follow-up,
of 733 postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries in Mississippi was conducted in 2000. The
breast-feeding initiation rate in this population was 38%. Women who were older, white,
non-Hispanic, college-educated, married, not certified for the Supplemental Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants, and Children, and not working full-time were more likely
to breast-feed than formula-feed at hospital discharge. Attitudes regarding benefits
and barriers to breast-feeding, as well as health care system and social support,
were associated with breast-feeding initiation at the multivariate level. Adding the
health care system support variables to the regression model, and specifically support
from lactation specialists and hospital nurses, explained the association between
breast-feeding initiation and women’s perceived control over the time and social constraints
barriers to breast-feeding. The findings support the need for health care system interventions,
family interventions, and public health education campaigns to promote breast-feeding
in low-income women.
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Biography
Amal Khoury is a health services researcher with interests in women’s health care and policy across the life span, and particularly in cancer control and access to care in vulnerable populations of women.
Biography
Syed Wakerul Moazzem is a public health physician with training in epidemiology and biostatistics and research interests in maternal and child health and communicable and chronic disease epidemiology.
Biography
Chad Jarjoura is a women’s health care physician with training in obstetrics and gynecology and research interests in the organization and delivery of preventive and primary care services to women.
Biography
Cathy Carotherss is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant specializing in breastfeeding promotion and support, particularly with women in low-income populations.
Biography
Agnes Hinton is a public health researcher and teacher with interests in nutrition education and cancer control in underserved populations and health outreach through community health advisors.
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 15,
2004
Received in revised form:
July 9,
2004
Received:
July 25,
2003
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
