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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Improving Louisiana breastfeeding rates through strategic planning and partnerships

Meshawn Tarver, MPH1, Ann Kingrey, RN, IBCLC2, Jeanette Magnus, MD, PhD3, Anil Danivas2, Ebony Lucas4, and Tova Reichel5. (1) School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, 504-988-3702, mtarver@tulane.edu, (2) Central Louisiana Breastfeeding Coalition, 501 Medical Center Drive, Alexandria, LA 70131, (3) Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 143 S. Liberty Street SL-29, New Orleans, LA 70112, (4) Epidemiology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, (5) International Health, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

For many years, Louisiana has had one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the United States. Faced with these rates and recognizing the challenges of promoting breastfeeding to a unique population, the Central Louisiana Breastfeeding Coalition (CLBC) and Tulane Xavier National Center of Excellence in Women's Health (TUXCOE) have adopted a strategic, collaborative approach to improve breastfeeding rates.

The Breastfeeding Task Force of Central Louisiana was formed in 1993 by a group of healthcare providers. Over the years, this group has planned and participated in local awareness campaigns, health fairs, and advertising opportunities to broaden breastfeeding awareness among the general public on breastfeeding issues. In 2000, the group was renamed CLBC but continued to function as a volunteer-based, multidisciplinary group seeking to improve infant and maternal health through breastfeeding. In the summer of 2004, CLBC decided to expand its outreach efforts and has since established a partnership with TUXCOE in order to accomplish this. TUXCOE was established as Louisiana's only Nationally Designated Center of Excellence in Women's Health in 1998 and received an endowment as Community Women's Health Education Center in 2003. TUXCOE's forte is its ability to design, develop, and evaluate innovative women's health education and promotion programs. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, TUXCOE implemented numerous breastfeeding education, awareness, and research activities. As a consultant to CLBC, TUXCOE will: train focus group facilitators, conduct a community needs assessment, and develop program training materials and an evaluation plan and tools. TUXCOE's primary goal is to assist CBLC with building capacity.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Collaboration, Breastfeeding

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Breastfeeding Research and Program Development and Evaluation

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA