 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
|
| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Ruowei Li, MD, PhD, Maternal and Child Nutrition Branch, Centers for Disease Control, 4770 Buford Hwy., N.E, Atlanta, GA 30341, 770 488 6033, RIL6@CDC.GOV, Jason Hsia, PhD, Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, N.E., Mailstop K-21, Atlanta, GA 30341, Fred Fridinger, DrPH, Dept. of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76107, Abeda Hussain, BS, Department of Nutrition, Georgia State University, 140 Decatur St., Atlanta, GA 30303, and Laurence Grummer-Strawn, PhD, Maternal and Child Nutrition Branch, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, Mailstop K25, Atlanta, GA 30341.
Healthstyles survey is an annual national mail survey of men and women aged 18 years or older. To explore public opinions about breastfeeding policies at different settings, we examined responses from 3714 US adults who participated in the 2001 Healthstyles survey and who answered at least one of the 9 survey items regarding breastfeeding support and policies. We estimated the percentage agreement with each breastfeeding statement and examined the associations of the public opinions with sociodemographic characteristics of respondents using the multiple logistic regression analysis. At least 43% of respondents believe that employers should provide flexible work schedules, extended maternity leave and private breast-pumping rooms, but only 27% would support tax incentives for breastfeeding-friendly employers. Forty one percent and 52% agree that public buildings or shopping malls, respectively, should provide lactation rooms to help women breastfeed. Although 43% believe that women should have the right to breastfeed in public places, less than one third think that it is appropriate to show a woman breastfeeding her baby on TV programs. Thirty four percent believe that breastfeeding education should be available as part of a high school health education curriculum. Exploratory factor analysis identified 4 underlying constructs among responses to the original 9 breastfeeding items, including public opinions about breastfeeding policies at work, lactation rooms in public places, breastfeeding in public, and breastfeeding education in high school. For the first two constructs, the results revealed more support among African Americans or people with household income <$20,000 than among Whites and people with household income >=$50,000. In conclusion, this study indicates that many Americans, especially African Americans and those in low-income households, agree that women who breastfeed need extra support both at work and in public places. Breastfeeding legislation might be appropriate to create a favorable environment for women to breastfeed and, according to our results, acceptable to voters.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: , Breast Feeding
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: none
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.