Neighborhood context and breastfeeding behaviors among urban mothers

Research consistently shows that breastfeeding behaviors vary according to individual-level sociodemographic characteristics, yet few studies examine contextual variations in breastfeeding.

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between neighborhood context and breastfeeding among a sample of predominately unmarried urban mothers, a group with relatively low rates of breastfeeding.

This study combines census tract information with data from 2 waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 4228) to predict the odds of initiating and sustaining breastfeeding.

Findings indicate that neighborhood socioeconomic composition, rather than racial or ethnic concentration, is associated with breastfeeding behaviors. More specifically, living in a highly educated neighborhood is associated with higher odds of initiating and sustaining breastfeeding.

These results suggest that the breastfeeding behaviors of urban mothers vary according to neighborhood educational context. Understanding how breastfeeding behaviors are shaped by one's neighborhood environment will allow public health initiatives to more effectively target vulnerable populations.