Breast-feeding initiation: predictors, attitudes, and practices among blacks and whites in rural Mississippi.
OBJECTIVE
We attempted to determine the incidence, predictors, attitudes, and practices of breast-feeding initiation among women in a low-income rural Mississippi community.


METHODS
We interviewed 420 new mothers regarding breast-feeding.


RESULTS
Ninety-six women (24%) initiated breast-feeding. More whites (44%) than blacks (20%) initiated breast-feeding. Of those 96, 59% planned to breast-feed for <6 months and 38% for 6 to 12 months. Among women who breast-fed, 78% said they did so because it was healthier. Among those not breast-feeding, most (48%) specifically stated, "I have no reason," while 20% hated the idea and 19% lacked time. About 73% of all women had been encouraged to breast-feed by nonphysicians (83%). For both races, the most significant predictor was a breast-feeding friend or relative.


CONCLUSIONS
Breast-feeding rates in the Mississippi Delta are low, especially among blacks. Effective education programs are needed to increase these rates, and such programs should include friends, spouses, relatives, and significant others.
Kum-Nji
P
P
Aaron E. Henry Community Health Center and the Children's Clinic of Clarksdale, Miss, USA.
Mangrem
C L
CL
Wells
P J
PJ
White
P
P
Herrod
H G
HG
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008922:Mississippi / Q000453:epidemiology; D009042:Motivation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*