Pacifier Use and its Association with Breastfeeding and Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) in Children Below 2 Years Old

Extensive literature reviews showed that pacifier usage is associated with early cessation of breast feeding, as well as respiratory infection. This cross sectional study was a part of the bigger study of The Third National Health Morbidity Survey conducted throughout Malaysia in 2006. Survival and pearson cox regression was done to find association between pacifier user and breast feeding duration. Logistic Regression was done to find association between variables of interest. The prevalence of pacifier use was 32.9%. Chinese children reported significantly higher usage of pacifier (95% CI; 47.5, 58.7) as well as those resided in urban area (95% CI;32.5,37.7). One third of pacifier user had stopped breastfeeding at 6 months of age. Those with pacifier users were significantly shorter in breast feeding duration and significantly associated with non exclusivity in breastfeeding. Those without pacifier user were significantly associated with ever breast fed.(p value=0.001). There was no significant association between pacifier use with acute respiratory infection. Factors such as ethnicity and residential are non modifiable whereas modifiable factor such as pacifier use is certainly needed to be addressed at maternal and child health care level.