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US national breastfeeding surveillance: Recommendations for better monitoring of breastfeeding disparities
Author(s) -
Chapman Donna J,
PérezEscamilla Rafael
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a686-b
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , ethnic group , birth certificate , medicine , environmental health , national health and nutrition examination survey , acculturation , public health surveillance , family medicine , demography , geography , pediatrics , public health , nursing , political science , population , sociology , law
We evaluated the extent and usefulness of the breastfeeding (BF) data currently collected through existing national surveys to develop recommendations to improve BF surveillance in the US. Questionnaires from 7 federally funded national surveys (National Immunization Survey, Infant Feeding Practices II, NHANES, National Survey of Family Growth, PRAMS, Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance Systems, and Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance Systems) and the National Standard Birth Certificate (NSBC) were reviewed. For each, the adequacy of data collected for the following variables was evaluated: BF initiation, duration of any and exclusive BF, race/ethnicity categories, maternal birthplace, acculturation, data collection in Puerto Rico, and relevant confounders. Currently, no single survey adequately covers all of the above variables and allows researchers to evaluate BF practices within the Healthy People 2010 health disparities framework. Recommended changes to improve US BF surveillance include: assure that samples match the US ethnic profile, oversample more minority groups, avoid administering surveys via consumer opinion panels, collect data in Puerto Rico, conduct surveys in multiple languages, consistently collect data on acculturation and on more detailed ethnic descriptors, and expand use of the NSBC linked with PRAMS. Funded by NIH‐NCMHD EXPORT grant P20 MD001765.