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Becoming baby-friendly in Spain: a quality-improvement process
Ricardo García-de-León-González1, Antoni Oliver-Roig, Mónica Hernández-Martínez
1Department of Paediatrics, Virgen del Castillo Hospital, Yecla, Spain. ricardo.garciadeleon@carm.es
Insights
Implementing quality improvement interventions, including training and support, successfully increased compliance with the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and significantly boosted breastfeeding rates in infants.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
- Public Health Interventions
Background:
- The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) aims to promote and support optimal infant feeding practices.
- Achieving BFHI compliance requires systematic quality improvement efforts within healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the implementation process and impact of a quality-improvement intervention designed to achieve BFHI compliance.
- To assess changes in BFHI criteria adherence and breastfeeding rates following the intervention.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study was conducted at Yecla Hospital, Spain, involving 1273 infants born between 1997 and 2005.
- Interventions included process-oriented training, audit and feedback, quality improvement cycles, and breastfeeding support resources.
- Breastfeeding rates and BFHI compliance were measured before, during, and after the intervention period.
Main Results:
- Progressive increase in compliance with BFHI Global Criteria, with all criteria met by 2004.
- Gradual increase in the median duration of breastfeeding throughout the intervention.
- Significantly higher likelihood of breastfeeding at various ages for infants born in 2005 compared to 1997.
Conclusions:
- Quality improvement interventions incorporating participation, training, audit, feedback, and resource provision are effective for BFHI implementation.
- These interventions are associated with a substantial increase in breastfeeding rates, supporting public health goals.
Aim:
To describe the implementation process and effect of a quality-improvement intervention aimed at achieving compliance with the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).
Methods:
We conducted a prospective study of the development and evaluation of a quality-improvement intervention at the Yecla Hospital, Spain. A random sample of 1273 infants born in the hospital was followed up in primary care centres between 1997 and 2005. The study interventions were process-oriented training, audit and feedback, quality-improvement cycles and provision of breastfeeding support resources. The main outcome measures were changes in compliance with the Global Criteria for the BFHI and breastfeeding rates before, during and after the intervention.
Results:
Compliance with the Global Criteria increased progressively, and in 2004 all criteria were met. The median duration of breastfeeding went up gradually from the start of the intervention. The likelihood of being breastfed at different ages among infants born in 2005 was between 45% [odds ratio (OR) 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.79] and 86% (OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.09-0.20) higher than among infants born in 1997.
Conclusion:
Quality-improvement interventions based on participation, training, audit and feedback of information, and provision of resources are useful for the implementation of the BFHI, which is associated with a significant increase in breastfeeding rates.
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