Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121099

Carissa A. Eastham, BA¹, Kenneth D. Rosenberg, MD, MPH², and Alfredo P. Sandoval, MS, MBA². (1) School of Public Health, University of Texas at Houston, 1200 Herman Pressler, Houston, TX 77030, 971-673-0377, carissa.eastham@state.or.us, (2) Office of Family Health, Oregon Department of Human Services, 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 850, Portland, OR 97232

Objectives. Many hospitals provide new mothers with discharge packs containing formula (DPFs) when they leave the hospital. We studied racial/ethnic disparities in the association between DPFs and exclusive breastfeeding duration. Methods. Data from Oregon Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), a population-based survey of postpartum women, was analyzed (n=3952, response rate=72.6%). Results. 79.7% of women who initiated breastfeeding in 2001-2002 reported that they received DPFs. We found that women who had received DPFs were less likely to continue breastfeeding than women who did not receive DPFs; the effect peaked at three weeks (ORa 1.53, 95%CI 1.12-2.09). The impact of DPFs at three weeks varied among racial/ethnic groups: minority women who received DPFs were less likely to exclusively breastfeed than women who did not receive DPFs: Hispanics (OR 1.83, 95%CI 1.25-2.66), non-Hispanic Blacks (OR 2.94, 95%CI 1.53-5.65), non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islanders (OR 2.23, 95%CI 1.43-3.47), and non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaskan Natives (OR 1.78, 95%CI 1.12-2.83). Non-Hispanic White women who received DPFs were not significantly less likely to exclusively breastfeed than women who did not receive DPFs (OR 1.40; 95%CI 0.96-2.04). Conclusions. Provision of DPFs was significantly associated with decreased duration of exclusive breastfeeding among all women except those who were non-Hispanic White. Minority women seem to be more influenced by this form of infant formula marketing than white women. Many hospitals participate in this marketing because it saves them money - the cost of buying formula for in-hospital use. One way to increase breastfeeding among minorities may be to discontinue provision of DPFs.

Learning Objectives: After the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

• Articulate the leading health authorities' recommendations on breastfeeding duration,
• Recognize that there is a differential effect of discharge packs containing formula (DPFs) on exclusive breastfeeding duration that varies by maternal race/ethnicity, and
• Identify the racial/ethnic subpopulations whose decisions to exclusively breastfeed are most effected by the provision of DPFs.

Keywords: Breast Feeding, Ethnic Minorities

Related Web page: www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/pch/prams/index.cfm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.