| Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools. |
DOI: 10.1177/0890334405283626 Intragroup Differences in Risk Factors for Breastfeeding Outcomes in a Multicultural CommunityDrug Information Department, Al Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Suffolk West Primary Care Trust and University of Cambridge, United Kingdom A sample of 221 women who delivered at Al Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, were included in this prospective study to identify breastfeeding patterns at day 1, 1 month, and 6 months postpartum. The exclusive breastfeeding rate was 76.5% on day 1, 48.4% at 1 month, and 13.3% at 6 months. At 6 months, 16.1% had stopped breastfeeding. Simple and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with better breastfeeding outcomes. Nationality significantly affected exclusive breastfeeding at day 1 and 1 month. Pethidine use was associated with lower levels of exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month. Education was the most significant determinant of breastfeeding behavior at 6 months. Effects of the interrelationships between factors were examined and shown to influence breastfeeding outcomes in different population subgroups. The findings of this study suggest that strategies to improve breastfeeding should focus on risk factors specific to the population subgroup.
Key Words: breastfeeding nationality analgesia education
|