[Breast feeding in Tromsö before and after the baby-friendly-hospital initiative].
BACKGROUND
"The-Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative" was introduced in the early 1990s by WHO/UNICEF to reverse a declining trend in breastfeeding worldwide. We wanted to investigate factors influencing breastfeeding and whether this initiative, introduced between 1993 and 1996, had improved breastfeeding in our region, Tromsø, a mid-sized city in northern Norway.


METHODS
Medical records at maternal and child health centres of 1,374 infants born 1992 (n = 653) and 1997 (n = 721) were studied. The number of mothers breastfeeding, duration of lactation, parents' age, their occupation and education, maternal marital status and parity were registered.


RESULTS
In a multiple regression analysis, birth, year 1997, high parental level of education/occupational prestige, and higher maternal age significantly prolonged the total period of breastfeeding. Parental age, education/occupation, the number of women starting breastfeeding, the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and the total lactation period significantly increased from 1992 to 1997. When correcting for parental age and education/occupation in a multiple regression analysis we found an increase in exclusive breastfeeding and the total lactation period by 0.5 month (mean (95% CI)) 0.5 (0.2-0.8) and 1.1 month (0.6-1.5) respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
This improvement might be due to "the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative", but also to unknown factors.
Andreassen
M
M
Det medisinske fakultet Universitetet i Tromsø 9037 Tromsø.
Bale
M
M
Kaaresen
P I
PI
Dahl
L B
LB
D001294:Attitude to Health; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009664:Norway; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors