The effect of the Breastfeeding Support Team (BEST) Program on the initiation and longevity of breastfeeding in WIC clients in Tucson, Arizona
Publisher
The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
The Breastfeeding Education Support Team (BEST) is a pilot project to promote breastfeeding in WIC clients in Tucson, Arizona. In this study, the control group breastfed their infants significantly longer than the intervention group (p < .006). Ethnicity and perceived support were shown to positively affect breastfeeding longevity in the control group. The intervention did increase the probability that a client receiving it would initiate breastfeeding (p < 0.06). The trimester a client attended the BEST class did significantly affect the longevity of breastfeeding in the intervention group (p < 0.016). The control group appeared to be influenced by cultural norms that favor breastfeeding. The intervention group seems to be functioning under transitional influences that do not favor breastfeeding. Strategies that include the BEST class, homevisiting a new breastfeeding mother, and the formation of breastfeeding support groups could increase the initiation and longevity of breastfeeding in this population.Type
textThesis-Reproduction (electronic)