142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Growing the IBCLC workforce: A Florida needs assessment

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Aimee Eden, PhD, MPH , Research and Policy, American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, KY
Erica Hesch Anstey, PhD, CLC , Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health,, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Deidre Orriola, MPH , University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Aynmarie Carter , University of South Florida, Tampa, HI
Background: With only 2.40 per 1,000 live births, Florida has fewer International Board Certified Lactation Consultants than the national average (3.35). These numbers mask disparities in lactation services between rural and urban areas, racial/ethnic groups, and un/underinsured and insured. The 2011 Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding identified creating opportunities to prepare and train more IBCLCs from under-represented racial and ethnic minority groups as a key strategy. This project’s objectives included assessing the demand for an academic IBCLC training program in Florida and need for IBCLCs among Florida’s medically underserved populations.

Methods: An online survey completed by 1,991 individuals assessed the interest of individuals in Florida to become IBCLCs, and the type of program that would be most appealing. We conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with administrators from hospitals, pediatric practices serving large Medicaid populations, and non-profit community-based MCH organizations. 

Results: Of survey participants, 61% said that they would be very interested or interested in completing an IBCLC training program. The interviews showed that while there are barriers to hiring IBCLCs in the current economic climate, there is a clear need: 9 of the 10 interviewees described a desire for additional IBCLCs in their organizations. 

Conclusions: There exists an unmet and growing need for professional breastfeeding support in Florida. Because of the high level of interest in an academic IBCLC training program (only 4 programs exist in the U.S. currently), breastfeeding support can be increased by creating opportunities for IBCLC training and funding positions for IBCLCs in diverse healthcare organizations.

Learning Areas:

Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Diversity and culture
Other professions or practice related to public health
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Describe the need and demand for professional breastfeeding support among medically underserved populations. Demonstrate the demand for academic IBCLC training programs. Assess strategies to meet the need for training IBCLCs.

Keyword(s): Breastfeeding, Workforce

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-principal of several breastfeeding-related research studies, focusing on professional breastfeeding support. I designed and implemented the needs assessment presented in this abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Name of Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of relationship
Intarnational Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners breastfeeding Advisory Committee/Board

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.

Back to: 4385.0: Poster Session: Practices and providers that impact breastfeeding outcomes