Race, Breastfeeding Support, and the U.S. Infant Formula Shortage: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Maternal and Child Health

Background:

• African American women face significant barriers to breastfeeding, leading to lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding compared to White women.
• Racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding are particularly severe in rural Southern communities, exacerbated by structural impediments in healthcare, workplaces, and communities.
• The 2022 U.S. infant formula shortage highlighted existing vulnerabilities in infant feeding practices and support systems, with minimal research on its racial disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the 2022 infant formula shortage on breastfeeding support among African American and White residents in Mississippi.
• To explore racial differences in how the infant formula shortage influenced perceptions and support for breastfeeding.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Mississippi REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health) Social Climate Survey (Wave 2, September-December 2023).
• Employed a general population random digit dial sample with a purposive oversample of African American participants.
• Conducted binary logistic regression analyses to assess the association between race and changes in breastfeeding support attributed to the infant formula shortage.

Main Results:

• African American respondents showed a statistically significant positive association with increased breastfeeding support following the infant formula shortage.
• African American respondents were five times more likely than White respondents to report that the formula shortage increased their support for breastfeeding (p < 0.001).
• Results support the hypothesis that the infant formula shortage prompted greater support for breastfeeding among African Americans.

Conclusions:

• The infant formula shortage positively impacted breastfeeding support among African Americans in Mississippi, suggesting a potential avenue for future public health interventions.
• Findings underscore the need to address structural lactation impediments and racial disparities in infant feeding support, especially in vulnerable populations.
• Further research is warranted to explore the long-term implications and effective strategies for promoting breastfeeding equity.