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- Title
Maternal disability and initiation and duration of breastfeeding: analysis of a Canadian cross-sectional survey.
- Authors
Brown, Hilary K.; Pablo, Lesley; Scime, Natalie V.; Aker, Amira M.; Dennis, Cindy-Lee
- Abstract
Background: The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding as the best method for infant feeding. Known risk factors for breastfeeding non-initiation and early cessation of breastfeeding are diverse and include low breastfeeding self-efficacy, poverty, smoking, obesity, and chronic illness. Although women with disabilities experience elevated rates of these risk factors, few studies have examined their breastfeeding outcomes. Our objective was to examine breastfeeding non-initiation and early cessation of breastfeeding in women with and without disabilities. Methods: We used data from the 2017–2018 Canadian Community Health Survey. Included were n = 4,817 women aged 15–55 years who had a birth in the last five years, of whom 26.6% had a disability, ascertained using the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning. Prevalence ratios (aPR) of breastfeeding non-initiation, and of early cessation of any and exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months, were calculated for women with versus without disabilities. We also examined disability by severity (moderate/severe and mild, separately) and number of action domains impacted (≥ 2 and 1, separately). The main multivariable models were adjusted for maternal age, marital status, level of education, annual household income level, and immigrant status. Results: There were no differences between women with and without disabilities in breastfeeding non-initiation (9.6% vs. 8.9%; aPR 0.88, 95% CI 0.63, 1.23). Women with disabilities were more likely to have early cessation of any (44.4% vs. 35.7%) and exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months (66.9% vs. 61.3%), with some attenuation in risk after adjustment for sociodemographic factors (aRR 1.15, 95% CI 0.99, 1.33 and aRR 1.07, 95% 0.98, 1.16, respectively). Disparities were larger for women with moderate/severe disabilities and disabilities in ≥ 2 domains, with differences attenuated by adjustment for socio-demographics. Conclusions: Women with disabilities, and particularly those with moderate/severe and multiple disabilities, could benefit from tailored, accessible breastfeeding supports that attend to the social determinants of health.
- Subjects
ATTITUDES toward breastfeeding; ATTITUDES of mothers; CONFIDENCE intervals; PSYCHOLOGY of mothers; CROSS-sectional method; AGE distribution; DISABILITY evaluation; SURVEYS; INCOME; BREASTFEEDING; DISEASE prevalence; DISABILITIES; RESEARCH funding; MARITAL status; SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors; HEALTH equity; EDUCATIONAL attainment; HEALTH promotion
- Publication
International Breastfeeding Journal, 2023, Vol 18, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1746-4358
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1186/s13006-023-00608-7