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Evaluation of a comprehensive loving support program among state Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program
Amal K Mitra1, Amal J Khoury, Cathy Carothers
1Center for Community Health, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5122, USA. amal.mitra@usm.edu
Background:
Mississippi was selected as a pilot state in the national breastfeeding promotion campaign titled Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work (LSMBW). To reinforce the national LSMBW project, the Mississippi Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Breastfeeding Promotion Project Team developed a comprehensive program that included patient and family education, staff training, public awareness activities, health professional outreach, and partnerships with the community. The program also implemented a breastfeeding-friendly clinic environment project and a videotape project. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of Mississippi's LSMBW activities among WIC breastfeeding coordinators in the United States.
Method:
The cross-sectional study was performed with the use of a mailed, self-administered questionnaire.
Results:
Representatives of 50 state WIC agencies returned the survey. Of these 50 agencies, 36 (72%) had effectively used education materials created by the state of Mississippi. Breastfeeding coordinators reported that among the campaign activities, staff training, community outreach, and peer counseling were most beneficial. They also identified the videotape project developed by Mississippi as useful in addressing barriers to breastfeeding and in training support groups, staff, and health care professionals.
Conclusion:
This study showed that Mississippi's outreach activities and motivational videotape had a positive impact on coordinators' promotion of breastfeeding.