Black non-Hispanic mothers' perceptions about the promotion of infant-feeding methods by nurses and physicians.
OBJECTIVE
To describe reports of low-income Black non-Hispanic women about the promotion of infant-feeding methods by nurses and physicians.


METHODS
Ethnographic research conducted over 18 months with interviewing and participant observation of informants.


METHODS
The study took place in a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinic and neighborhood in the New York metropolitan area.


METHODS
130 Black non-Hispanic mothers enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children were general informants. From this group, 11 primiparous key informants were selected for close follow-up during pregnancy and the 1st postpartum year.


METHODS
Audiotaped interviews and field notes were analyzed for mothers' descriptions of infant-feeding education and support from nurses and physicians.


RESULTS
The informants reported limited breastfeeding education and support during pregnancy, childbirth stay in neonatal intensive care unit, postpartum, and recovery in the community. They also expressed trust/distrust concerns and varying degrees of anxiety about the ways they were treated by nurses and physicians.


CONCLUSIONS
To decrease disparities in breastfeeding, this research suggests that health care professionals should focus their efforts on the development of trusting relationships and continuity of care along with clear, consistent breastfeeding education and support.
Cricco-Lizza
Roberta
R
Center for Health Disparities Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. rcricco@nursing.upenn.edu
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology*; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D009519:New York City; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust