241463 Who is being studied? A meta-analysis of breastfeeding research samples

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Lindsay Virost , Health Care, NORC at the University of Chicago, Bethesda, MD
Haddi Cham , Department of Health Behavior Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
In the recently released U.S. Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding, the Surgeon General noted that rates for breastfeeding African-American babies are significantly lower than the national percentages. The Surgeon General also acknowledges that “the reasons for the persistently lower rates of breastfeeding among African American women are not well understood” (8). The under-representation of minority groups of women in research studies hinders the possibility of creating effective policies that could increase the breastfeeding rate in the United States to meet the Surgeon General's recommendations. In this study we will conduct a meta-analysis of academic journals to gain insight into racial representation in breastfeeding research. Journals selected for the study include: Breastfeeding Medicine, The Journal of Human Lactation, Maternal & Child Health Journal, Journal of Women's Health, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Pediatrics, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, American Journal of Epidemiology, Annals of Epidemiology, Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, American Journal of Public Health, and Midwifery. Quantitative and qualitative studies eligible for inclusion in this analysis must have been publish in the last ten years and identify mothers as the primary unit of analysis. Early findings suggest that representation by race is disproportionate to birth rate by race.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1) Define trends in recent breastfeeding research as it relates to race. 2) Identify gaps of knowledge in breastfeeding research as it relates to race. 3) Discuss policy impact of findings.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract Author on the content I am responsible for because I am a professional health care researcher.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Breastfeeding Poster Session
See more of: Maternal and Child Health