title: Exclusive breastfeeding rates in a multiethnic population at a community hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate exclusive breastfeeding (EB) rates in a multiethnic community population and study various factors that could influence selection of feeding method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic medical records of 100 patients who delivered from January to August 2009 in a community hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Patients who breastfed exclusively were compared with those whose children obtained some or all nutrition from bottle-feeding during the hospitalization immediately following delivery (NEB). Continuation rates at the infant's initial follow-up examination were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Asian populations had the highest EB (50%) and continuity rate. Single status and educational status were the only factors other than ethnicity found on univariate analysis to have an impact on the mode of feeding (p < 0.05). Employment, obesity, mode of delivery, birth weight, and sex of newborn did not have a significant effect on the type of feeding. Using multiple regression, only educational status had a significant association with exclusive breastfeeding, with an odds ratio of 2.1 (p = 0.038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EB was not well accepted by non-Asian populations. Because educational level was associated with breastfeeding, ways of encouraging those with limited education to practice breastfeeding should be developed.
authors.affiliation: Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing, NY 11355, USA.
authors.forename: Shelly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soni
authors.forename: Adeeti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Allan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009518:New York; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D044469:Racial Groups; D012189:Retrospective Studies