title: The effect of lactation educators implementing a telephone-based intervention among low-income Hispanics: A randomised trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether a phone-based breastfeeding intervention delivered by lactation educators influenced exclusive breastfeeding rates amongst low-income Hispanic women in the USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised two-group design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant low-income Hispanic women (298) were recruited from community health clinics in Los Angeles County (USA) and randomly assigned to either a control or an intervention group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data relating to the factors associated with breastfeeding were collected during the third trimester. Breastfeeding outcome data was collected at 72 hours, one month, three months, and six months postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between the groups in rates of breastfeeding initiation. There was a significant difference in the duration of exclusive breastfeeding among participants during the infant's first week of life. While not significant, after controlling for covariates and intent to breastfeed at third trimester, the duration of exclusive breastfeeding amongst all participants was, on average, longer for intervention group mothers than control group mothers. Additionally, , the intervention group mothers were more likely to report exclusive and only breastfeeding at all data points compared to the control group, and less likely to discontinue breastfeeding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings from this study suggest that telephone-based breastfeeding interventions delivered by a lactation educator show promise as a cost-effective strategy for improving both the quantity and duration of breastfeeding among low-income Hispanic women in the USA. Intervention group mothers not only sustained breastfeeding for a longer durations, but also provided their infants with greater amounts of breast milk over these longer durations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences California University Northridge, USA 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge, CA 91330-8285.
authors.forename: Merav W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Efrat
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences California University Northridge, USA 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge, CA 91330-8285.
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esparza
authors.affiliation: Providence Holy Cross Medical Center 15031 Rinaldi St. Mission Hills, CA 91345.
authors.forename: Sherri G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Mendelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine Division of Biostatistics Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California 2001 Soto St 2nd Floor, SSB #202X Los Angeles, CA 90089-9234, Clane@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Christianne J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lane
keywords: Lactation education; USA; effects; low income; telephone intervention