265938 Increasing breastfeeding success by meeting the emotional needs of African-American WIC mothers

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Gayle Hoxter, MPH, RD , Nutrition Services and Health Promotion, County of Riverside, Department of Public Health, Riverside, CA
Laurie Haessly, MA, RD, IBCLC , Nutrition Services and Health Promotion, County of Riverside, Department of Public Health, Riverside, CA
Kathleen Pickering, IBCLC , Nutrition Services and Health Promotion, County of Riverside, Department of Public Health, Riverside, CA
Gerald Newmark, PhD , The Children's Project, Tarzana, CA
Background: Many health problems disproportionately affect African-American women and infants. African-American women breastfeed at a disproportionately lower rate than any other ethnic group. The health issues are complex and multifaceted and would seem to require costly, complex interventions. One evidence-based intervention requires minimal cost, no technology and has no significant risks. The intervention is preventive and affects the health and well-being of individuals throughout their life spans. The intervention is increasing the breastfeeding initiation and duration rates of African-American WIC participants. Methods: Our key to increasing breastfeeding rates in the African-American WIC community is Peer-to-Peer group sessions facilitated by WIC trained African-American Breastfeeding Peer Counselors. Bringing breastfeeding women together in a comfortable place to make and meet new friends and obtain reliable and accurate information is critical in their success. Women stop breastfeeding when they encounter emotional difficulties and stress. Group discussions focus on the barriers African-American families face during the perinatal period making breastfeeding difficult to obtain and exploration of the emotional needs of new mothers. Results: Between 2005 and 2011 exclusive breastfeeding duration rates for African-American women enrolled in WIC increased: at 2 months - 108% and at 6 months - 290%. Conclusions: This model can easily be replicated with other cultural groups by collaborating with and utilizing the many available resources currently in place in counties throughout the US.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. List 4 health disparities of African-American infants and women. 2. Describe the behavior associated with all of the health problems. 3. Articulate one low cost, no technology intervention to minimize the health disparities. 4. Develop a collaborative partnership plan of action to begin replication of the Peer Counselor Project.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: or the past 12 years I have been the WIC Director of a large agency ( 95,775 caseload). I worked on the following special projects/committees: Customer Service, Outreach, WIC Task Force, EBT and New ISIS Committees over the years. Riverside County WIC agency has been highlighted at many NationalWIC Association conferences as speakers and poster sessions for our WIC Peer Counseling Program specifically targeting African-American WIC mothers.
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.