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Factors influencing breastfeeding in children less than 2 years of age in Lao PDR
Author(s) -
Putthakeo Pornpai,
Ali Moazzam,
Ito Chiaki,
Vilayhong Panome,
Kuroiwa Chushi
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2009.01547.x
Subject(s) - medicine , breastfeeding , logistic regression , residence , demography , pediatrics , breast feeding , ethnic group , cross sectional study , capital city , economic geography , pathology , sociology , anthropology , economics
Aim:  This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of, and factors influencing, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at 6 months and continued breastfeeding (CBF) at 2 years. Methods:  Between January and February 2007, a cross‐sectional study was conducted using a semi‐structured questionnaire in 40 villages in the Vientiane capital and the Vientiane province of Lao PDR. A total of 400 mothers with children less than 2 years old were recruited by multistage random sampling. Based on the 1991 World Health Organization Breastfeeding Indicators, children were classified into three groups, 6–23‐month‐old children for assessing EBF at 6 months, 12–15‐month‐old children for CBF at 1 year and 20–23‐month‐old children for CBF at 2 years. Results:  The prevalence of EBF at 6 months and CBF at 2 years were 19.4% ( n = 283) and 18.6% ( n = 43), respectively. Some of the factors influencing EBF at 6 months in a univariate logistic regression model included: location of residence, (OR: 19.19, 95% CI 6.96–57.01), ethnicity (OR: 3.15, 95% CI 1.63–6.08), encouragement of the child's father (OR: 9.03, 95%CI 1.21–67.57) and inter‐spousal communication (OR: 5.20, 95% CI 2.34–11.56). A majority of the mothers (75.0%) had watched television advertisements for infant formula from Thailand, and 48.4% reported that they wanted to buy formula milk after having watched them. Conclusion:  This study showed a low prevalence of EBF at 6 months in the studied area in Lao PDR. Some of the factors that had a strong impact on EBF at 6 months included: location of residence, ethnicity, father's involvement, early breastfeeding plan, Mother's Card in antenatal care and television advertisement. There may be opportunities for government to review a range of policies relating to paternal involvement, antenatal care and formula advertising that could help to improve EBF rate.

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