142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

304316
Factors Associated with Breastfeeding Support among Congolese Immigrants in Texas

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014 : 9:30 AM - 9:45 AM

Guy-Lucien Whembolua, Ph.D. , Department of Africana Studies, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Donaldson Conserve, PhD , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC
Daudet Ilunga Tshiswaka, MS , Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, Champaign, IL
Muswamba Mwamba, MPH , School of Public Health, University of North Texas, Fort Worth, TX
Background:  Breastfeeding decreases the incidence of many disease processes that disproportionately impact African Americans, and increases positive health outcomes. Disparities based on nativity within the African American breastfeeding rates have been found. Moreover, the importance of breastfeeding support by fathers has also been identified in the literature. The purpose of this study was to examine immigrant Congolese fathers’ roles in the decision-making process to breastfeed and describe immigrant Congolese men’s experiences as fathers of breastfed infants in the United States.

Methods:  A qualitative descriptive study  of Congolese men experiences of fathering a breastfed infant was conducted in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area (Texas).  Five focus groups were conducted.  The interviews were conducted in French and English and lasted 1-2 hours. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English. Using the PEN-3 model, three themes were identified. Congolese fathers believed that breastfeeding is a natural part of child rearing. Congolese fathers living with larger social support found it easier to encourage their respective spouses to breastfeed. Information received by the medical establishment regarding breastfeeding was found to be inadequate.

Conclusions:  The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding the heterogeneity of the African American community. Careful attention to both language and culture are essential for obtaining accurate representations of infant feeding behavior in diverse African American populations. Understanding how ethnicity and cultural norms in African communities in the US affects health behaviors such as breastfeeding could help improve current breastfeeding promotion programs targeting the African American community.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Assess immigrant Congolese fathers’ roles in the decision-making process to breastfeed and describe immigrant Congolese men’s experiences as fathers of breastfed infants in the United States.

Keyword(s): Immigrant Health, Breastfeeding

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a public health practitioner with over a decade of experience in minority research, health promotion and capacity building initiatives.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.