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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Suzanne G. Haynes, PhD, US Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health, 200 Independence Ave., SW, Room 715E, Washington, DC 20201, 202 205 2623, SHaynes@OSOPHS.DHHS.GOV, Anne Merewood, MPH, IBCLC, Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, 91 E Concord St 4th Fl Rm 4121, Boston, MA 02118, and Patty Goldman, The Advertising Council, 261 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016.

Background: The National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign (NBAC) was launched by the DHHS, Office on Womens Health, in June 2004. The Advertising Council created Public Service Announcements to publicize the Campaign in the mass media. Objective: To assess public opinion before and after the Campaign launch. Design/Methods: The Ad Council performed a telephone survey on a national sample of men and women >18. Pre-launch surveys assessed breastfeeding awareness among 465 respondents in April/May 2004, and among 460 respondents post-launch in April 2005. Results: Public awareness of breastfeeding, defined as having recently heard, seen, or read something about breastfeeding, rose from 28% in 2004 to 38% in 2005. Awareness among 18-34 yr olds rose from 28% to 52% (p<.05); among men, from 22% to 44% (p<.05), and among African Americans, from 32% to 43% (p<.05). In addition, those who thought 6 months was the recommended time to breastfeed exclusively rose from 21% to 37% (p<.05) among all respondents; from 31% to 42% (p<.05) among women, and from 20% to 33% p<.05) among men. Respondents who had seen at least one PSA on TV were significantly more likely than those who had not to agree that breastfeeding reduced ear infections (52% among those who had not seen PSAs, vs 67% among those who had; p<.05), obesity (35% vs. 48%; p<.05), and respiratory illness (49% vs 65%; p<.05). Conclusions: Breastfeeding awareness and acceptance rose between 2004 and 2005. This increase in awareness may have been associated with the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign.

Learning Objectives:

• The learner will be able to describe the purpose of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign
• The learner will be able to detail methods of measuring response to the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign
• The learner will be able to describe measurable changes in public opinion as a result of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign

Keywords: Breast Feeding, Public Health Education and Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation