title: Promoting breastfeeding in Bolivia: do social networks add to the predictive value of traditional socioeconomic characteristics?
abstract: This study tested whether the prediction of health-related knowledge (correct breastfeeding practices in this case) could be improved by including information about the composition of an individual's personal network above and beyond that predicted by his/her socioeconomic or demographic characteristics. Few studies have tested the predictive value of social networks, especially for population-based studies, despite an increased use of social networks in the past few years in several fields of health research, especially in research relating to prevention of HIV/AIDS and design of HIV/AIDS programmes. Promotion of breastfeeding practices that enhance child survival is important in Bolivia because of high infant morbidity and mortality in the country. Data on a cross-sectional urban probability sample of 2,354 women and men aged 15-49 years were collected from seven urban areas in Bolivia. Model building and the log likelihood ratio criteria were used for assessing the significance of variables in a logistic model. Results showed that the network variables added significantly (p < 0.05 for knowledge of breastfeeding only with no other liquids and for knowledge of breastfeeding only with no solids p < 0.01) to the predictive power of the socioeconomic variables. These results may also hold for other health research areas, increasingly using social network analysis, such as that of HIV/AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population and Family Health Sciences, Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA. ffonseca@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: Fannie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fonseca-Becker
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Valente
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001838:Bolivia; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors