PRENATAL DETERMINATION OF DEMOGRAPHIC AND ATTITUDINAL FACTORS REGARDING FEEDING PRACTICE IN AN INDIGENT POPULATION

Demographic and attitudinal factors influencing the decision to breast- or bottle-feed were evaluated early in pregnancy by survey of 307 women in a low-risk prenatal obstetric clinic at a publicly funded hospital in Houston, Texas. Subjects responded to 17 demographic and 24 attitudinal questions. Racial classification revealed blacks 36.4%, whites 29.2%, and hispanics 30.8%. Twenty-five percent of the completed surveys were in Spanish. Of the total sample, 26.7% planned to breast-feed, 48.2% planned to bottle-feed, and 25.1% planned to do both. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed six prominent independent risk factors for bottle-feeding. The most significant variable was lack of support for breast-feeding from a significant other (husband, mother, other relative, or friend), which had a odds ratio (OR) of 456.3. Other attitudinal variables achieving independent significance were disagreement with the statements "breastfeeding protects against disease" (OR = 4.0), "breasts were made for breastfeeding" (OR = 8.0), and "I want to know more about breastfeeding" (OR = 120.0). Significant demographic variables identified were completion of less than 12th grade (OR = 32.1), and age less than 35 years (OR = 43.3). These findings indicate the influence of significant others in the decision to breast-feed and suggest that future educational programs should require their inclusion if the prevalence of breast-feeding in this population is to be increased.