[Duration of breast-feeding in the Dominican Republic]

The present study reanalyzed data from the Dominican Republic National Health Survey, conducted in 1991, in order to identify the socioeconomic characteristics and the factors related to medical care, the pregnancy, and the child which influenced the total duration of breast-feeding (TDBF). A representative sample of 1984 mother-infant pairs was studied. Of the children of each mother, only the last one who was breast-fed and was less than three years old at the time of the survey was included. Data on TDBF and the factors studied were collected by interviewing the mothers. The risk of having been weaned at various ages was calculated by means of a life table, and the independent effect of each variable of interest was estimated using Cox's regression model. The median TDBF was 7 months and the relative weaning rate (RWR) was higher among weaned children (RWR = 8.56; 95%CI: 4.25-17.20), those whose mothers had a university education (RWR = 1.48; 95%CI: 1.24-1.77), those who began to suckle late (RWR = 1.25; 95%CI: 1.11-1.40), those who were born in public institutions (RWR = 1.62; 95%CI: 1.24-2.11) and private institutions (RWR = 2.19; 95%CI: 1.65-2.91), and those born to first-time mothers of a low socioeconomic level (RWR = 1.80; 95%CI: 1.45-2.24). Among the strategies of programs to promote breast-feeding, the importance of delayed weaning should be underscored, since this factor has the greatest influence on duration of breast-feeding.