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Factors associated with the initiation of breast-feeding by Aboriginal mothers in Perth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

C Binns ,
D Gilchrist ,
M Gracey ,
M Zhang ,
J Scott  and
A Lee
C Binns*
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia
D Gilchrist
Affiliation:
Goldfields South-East Health Region, Australia
M Gracey
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia
M Zhang
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia
J Scott
Affiliation:
Division of Developmental Medicine, University of Glasgow, UK
A Lee
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia
*
*Corresponding author: Email c.binns@curtin.edu.au
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Abstract

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Objectives:

To identify the prevalence of breast-feeding at discharge and the determinants of breast-feeding initiation amongst Aboriginal women.

Design:

A prospective cohort study using a self-administered baseline questionnaire and telephone-administered follow-up interviews.

Setting:

Six hospitals with maternity wards in Perth, Western Australia.

Subjects:

Four hundred and twenty-five Aboriginal mothers of newborn infants.

Results:

At discharge, 89.4% of Aboriginal mothers were breast-feeding. Breast-feeding at discharge was most positively associated with perceived paternal support of breast-feeding, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 6.65 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.81–15.74), and with maternal age (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03–1.22), but negatively associated with parity and having delivered vaginally.

Conclusion:

The factors independently associated with breast-feeding at discharge were similar to those previously identified for a group of non-Aboriginal Perth women, suggesting that separate breast-feeding interventions specially targeted at Aboriginal women are not warranted. The findings do, however, highlight the importance of including the father in the breast-feeding discussions.

Keywords

Breast-feedingDeterminantsInitiationAboriginal mothers
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 7 , Issue 7 , October 2004 , pp. 857 - 861
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2004

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