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An ecological approach to breastfeeding.
Linda Beth Tiedje1, Rachel Schiffman, Mildred Omar
1Michigan State University, Department of Epidemiology, Lansing, MI 48823, USA. tiedje@pilot.msu.edu
MCN. the American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing
|May 17, 2002
Summary
Breastfeeding rates are low, but an ecological model incorporating mother, family, healthcare, community, and cultural factors can improve them. Interventions must address multiple influence layers for success.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Maternal and Child Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Breastfeeding rates in the US fall short of Healthy People 2010 objectives.
- The ecological model offers a framework to understand multifaceted influences on breastfeeding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the fit of a preexisting ecological model for breastfeeding.
- To identify key mother-infant, family, healthcare, community, and societal/cultural factors influencing breastfeeding.
Main Methods:
- A telephone survey was administered to 95 primiparous postpartum women.
- Content analysis of transcribed interviews assessed the ecological model's applicability.
Main Results:
- Postpartum women's comments confirmed the ecological model's relevance.
- Identified influences span mother-infant, family, healthcare, community, and societal/cultural domains.
Conclusions:
- Improving breastfeeding rates requires interventions beyond the individual level.
- The ecological model guides multi-layered interventions to increase breastfeeding rates and duration.