Breastfeeding practices in Ethiopian women in southern California.
A retrospective study on the breastfeeding was carried out on selected 45 Ethiopian immigrant women living in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas (mean = 41 months; range 10-84 months). In-depth interviews were conducted to gather information on breastfeeding habits and a detailed analysis was made of the factors leading to the cessation of breastfeeding. The mean duration of breastfeeding in this sample was 4.2 +/- 1.1 months (range 3.0-5.7 months); and a non significant association was found between the length of residence in USA and the duration of breastfeeding (r = 0.189; 0.001 less than p less than 0.01 Pearson Correlation Matrix). Mothers breastfeeding less than four months (N = 27) were compared to mothers who breastfed longer than four months (N = 18). A statistically significant association was found between the duration of breastfeeding and the following variables: mother's level of education (X2 = 20.12 p less than 0.005, df = 1), source of income (X2 = 13.46, p = 0.001, df = 1)' and the availability of free sample formula form the hospital (X2 = 4.46 p = 0.035, df = 1). The most common cited reasons for stopping breastfeeding were mother's employment (40%), and mother's lack of milk (32%). Data suggest here that the Ethiopian immigrant women in this selected sample are not following the trends towards breastfeeding in the United States.
School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.
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Meftuh
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Tapsoba
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JA
Lamounier
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002140:California; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors