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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Joan E. Dodgson, RN MPH PhD, School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, University of Hawaii, 2528 McCarthy Mall, Webster Hall Rm. 403, Honolulu, HI 96822, (808)-956-7916, dodgson@hawaii.edu, Estelle Codier, MSN, RN, Nursing, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2528 McCarthy Mall, Webster Hall Rm. 403, Honolulu, HI 96822, Pua Kaiwi, RN, IBCLC, WIC, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, 86-260 Farrington Highway, Waianae, HI 96792, and Mary Frances Oneha, PhD, APRN, Community Health Services, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, 86-260 Farrington Highway, Waianae, HI 96792.

Breastfeeding reduces infant morbidity and mortality internationally and in the US. To achieve these benefits exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for 6 months with continued breastfeeding for a year, while introducing other foods. Nationally, factors associated with lower breastfeeding initiation and duration have been ethnicity, age, education and lower socio-economic status as measured by participation in the Women, Infants and Children's Supplemental Nutrition program (WIC). Although Hawaii has high breastfeeding initiation (89%), Native Hawaiian women who are WIC participants' have lower initiation (64%) rates, with duration rates following the same trend. Little is known about why these disparities occur or about breastfeeding patterns in the low income Hawaiian population. The aim of this study was to identify breastfeeding patterns of Hawaiian/part Hawaiian women enrolled in the WIC and living on the Waianae Coast of O'ahu. A retrospective descriptive study was undertaken using WIC data gathered during the first 12 monthly postpartum visits. The sample consisted of breastfeeding WIC participants (N=200) self-identifying as Native Hawaiian or part Hawaiian. Data were analyzed using descriptive and parametric statistics. Survival curves were plotted for participants who exclusively and who never exclusively breastfed. During the first month postpartum only one third of the participants exclusively breastfed, duration decreased monthly. Mothers who exclusively breastfed at initiation of breastfeeding weaned significantly later than those who partially breastfed. These findings are important in light of the national public health breastfeeding goals. A better understanding of current breastfeeding patterns is the first step in developing interventions to improve duration.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify factors influencing breastfeeding duration in Native Hawaiian women.
• Describe how these factors might influence breastfeeding support and promotion program planning

Keywords: Hawaiian Natives, WIC

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No