The use of breast milk substitutes in developing countries: the impact of women's employment.
OBJECTIVE
This study quantified the influence of employment, specifically a mother's employment away from her infant, on the use of breast milk substitutes in developing countries.


METHODS
Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys were used to calculate the population attributable risk percentage for use of breast milk substitutes among women employed away from their babies in 15 countries for which suitable data were available.


RESULTS
The estimated proportion of breast milk substitute use attributable to employment away from the baby ranged from 0.74% to 20.9% in the various countries.


CONCLUSIONS
Employment is not the main determinant of breast milk substitute use. Efforts to improve breast-feeding can be safely targeted at the majority of women who are not employed away from their babies while nevertheless giving appropriate attention to the minority of new mothers who are employed away from their babies.
Hight-Laukaran
V
V
Breastfeeding and Maternal-Child Health Division, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Rutstein
S O
SO
Peterson
A E
AE
Labbok
M H
MH
D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D003906:Developing Countries; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn