Correlates of breast-feeding in a rural population.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the associations of education and employment with breast-feeding initiation and duration in rural mothers, in the context of environmental, social, and intrapersonal factors.


METHODS
Data from a telephone survey of 414 mothers from rural Minnesota were examined with regression analyses.


RESULTS
Education and employment had individual and interactive effects of breast-feeding practices. Women with higher educations and those who were not employed full-time were more likely to initiate and maintain a longer duration of breast-feeding.


CONCLUSIONS
Rural women with less than college educations and who work full-time may need the most support for initiating and maintaining breast-feeding.
Hanson
Michelle B
MB
University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA.
Hellerstedt
Wendy L
WL
Desvarieux
Moïse
M
Duval
Susan J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014931:Women, Working