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Breastfeeding in Rural China: Association Between Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices

Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

Jingxu Zhang, MD

Department of Child, Adolescent and Women's Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China

Yan Wang, DrPH

Department of Child, Adolescent and Women's Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China

Bernard Guyer, MD

Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

Breastfeeding rates have decreased in the past decade in China. This study identifies psychosocial and sociodemographic factors associated with breastfeeding practices. A total of 599 mothers of infants 2 to 4 months old were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Nearly all infants (95.5%) were breastfed, but only 4.2% were exclusively breastfed, and 48.7% were fully breastfed. Mothers' intention to breastfeed (odds ratio [OR] = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.39-2.01) and social support (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.002-1.50) were associated with full breastfeeding. Full breastfeeding prevalence decreased with children's age (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.98). Girls were more likely to be fully breastfed than boys (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.02). This study found that optimal breastfeeding practices during the first 4 months of life are not universal in rural China. Health care providers should be more actively involved in educating and motivating mothers and their family members to adopt optimal breastfeeding practices. J Hum Lact. 24(4):377-385.

Key Words: breastfeeding • rural China • prevalence • practice • sociodemographics

This version was published on November 1, 2008

Journal of Human Lactation, Vol. 24, No. 4, 377-385 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0890334408319157


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