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Gyamfi A, Jefferson UT, O'Neill B, Lucas R, Spatz DL, Henderson WA. Breastfeeding Attitudes and Social Support Among Christian African Americans. Breastfeed Med 2024; 19:333-339. [PMID: 38546168 DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2023.0277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Purpose: To describe the breastfeeding attitudes and subjective norms of breastfeeding among African American Christians from the New England region. Study Design and Methods: A study was conducted using an online survey. Participants were recruited from four Christian churches in the New England region during the summer of 2021. Responses from direct questions about exclusive breastfeeding histories were tabulated. Open-ended question responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Two results were merged to make the conclusions. Results: Participants (n = 101) aged 18-44 years (62.3%), college graduates (72.3%), and Catholics (71.4%) responded. Participants were willing to recommend six months of exclusive breastfeeding practice to relatives (89.9%) and friends/peers (87.9%) and support relatives (94.0%) and friends/peers (94.8%) to practice exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Breastfeeding attitude themes included beneficial and natural and receiving breastfeeding support. Subjective norms of breastfeeding themes included receiving support for breastfeeding; Christian leadership, teachings, and communal engagements; and gaps in Christian influence. Conclusion: The African American Christian community may be an emergent agent of breastfeeding social support for African American Christian women who chose to breastfeed. Health professionals should collaborate with African American Christian leadership to initiate programs to promote breastfeeding among African American Christian women in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adwoa Gyamfi
- School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Barbara O'Neill
- Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Nurses Climate Challenge Champion, University of Connecticut School of Nursing, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Ruth Lucas
- School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Diane L Spatz
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Wendy A Henderson
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Apanga PA, Christiansen EJ, Weber AM, Darrow LA, Riddle MS, Tung WC, Liu Y, Kohnen T, Garn JV. The role of state breastfeeding laws and programs on exclusive breastfeeding practice among mothers in the special supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Int Breastfeed J 2022; 17:46. [PMID: 35752853 PMCID: PMC9233787 DOI: 10.1186/s13006-022-00490-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It is unclear if state laws supporting breastfeeding are associated with exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice among low-income mothers participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The main objectives of our study were to assess the relationship between such laws and EBF among WIC-participating mothers and to assess whether this association varied by employment status. We also assessed how mother’s exposure to WIC breastfeeding consultation was associated with EBF. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted across seven WIC program locations (i.e., Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Chickasaw Nation) between July–August 2020. Data were collected using convenient sampling from each program location and surveys were administered electronically or on paper to WIC-participating mothers. We restricted our analysis to data from 1161 WIC-participating mothers with infants aged zero to five months old. Multivariable mixed models were used to estimate the relationship between our exposures of interest (i.e., number of laws supporting breastfeeding, employment-related breastfeeding laws, WIC breastfeeding consultation) and EBF, while controlling for potential confounders and accounting for clustering by program location. Effect modification by employment status was assessed on the additive and multiplicative scales. Results Among WIC-participating mothers living in program locations with no employment-related breastfeeding laws, EBF was 26% less prevalent for employed mothers compared to unemployed mothers (adjusted prevalence ratios [aPR]: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.67,0.83). Among all mothers, a one-unit increase in laws supporting breastfeeding was not associated with EBF (aPR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.71,1.10). However, among employed mothers, living in areas with more employment-related laws was associated with a higher prevalence of EBF (aPR: 1.43, 95% CI: 0.83, 2.44). Infants whose mothers received a WIC breastfeeding consultation had 33% higher prevalence of being exclusively breastfed compared to infants whose mothers did not receive a WIC breastfeeding consultation (aPR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.05,1.70). Conclusions Infants whose WIC-participating mothers were employed, were less likely to be exclusively breastfed, but our effect modification analyses showed that laws supporting breastfeeding at the workplace may promote EBF among employed women. EBF was more prevalent among mothers who received a WIC breastfeeding consultation compared to those who did not receive such a consultation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13006-022-00490-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paschal A Apanga
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, SMS suite 102, NV, 89557, Reno, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Christiansen
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, SMS suite 102, NV, 89557, Reno, USA
| | - Ann M Weber
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, SMS suite 102, NV, 89557, Reno, USA
| | - Lyndsey A Darrow
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, SMS suite 102, NV, 89557, Reno, USA
| | - Mark S Riddle
- School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, NV, 89557, Reno, USA
| | - Wei-Chen Tung
- The Valley Foundation of School of Nursing, San Jose State University, 1 Washington Sq, San Jose, CA, 95192, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, SMS suite 102, NV, 89557, Reno, USA
| | - Taya Kohnen
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, SMS suite 102, NV, 89557, Reno, USA
| | - Joshua V Garn
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, SMS suite 102, NV, 89557, Reno, USA.
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Ivanitskaya LV, Bjork AE, Taylor MR. Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of Catholic Health Care Research: 1973-2019. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2021; 60:3759-3774. [PMID: 33860402 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-021-01255-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A multi-dimensional construct of Catholic health care is examined using a bibliometric analysis of 181 scientific studies from the Web of Science database. Medical ethics, religion, and health services research by 418 authors from 26 countries reveals developments in the Catholic health care domain since 1973. Using VOSviewer, we map keyword clusters to reveal the structure of research on Catholic health care that transcends religious and secular literatures. The clusters mostly reflect clinical and ethical issues of reproductive health and the end of life, as well as the essence and the future of the Catholic identity from the theological and empirical perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana V Ivanitskaya
- School of Health Sciences, Central Michigan University, 208D Rowe Hall, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859, USA.
| | - Anastasia E Bjork
- School of Health Sciences, Central Michigan University, 208D Rowe Hall, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859, USA
| | - Mark R Taylor
- School of Health Sciences, Central Michigan University, 208D Rowe Hall, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859, USA
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