title: The Short Form of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale as a Prognostic Factor of Exclusive Breastfeeding among Mandarin-Speaking Chinese Mothers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the effect of maternal perceived breastfeeding self-efficacy on the exclusive breastfeeding rate at 6 months postpartum in mainland China.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the relative effect of maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy and selected relevant factors on the exclusive breastfeeding rate at 6 months postpartum. The internal consistency and construct validity of the Chinese (Mandarin) version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) were also examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cohort study conducted at a regional teaching hospital in Guangzhou, China. A total of 562 in-hospital mothers who were within 72 hours postpartum were recruited to the study and followed up by telephone for 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although all of the mothers breastfed their babies within 72 hours postpartum, only 25% of the mothers breastfed exclusively. The mean survival time of continuation of exclusive breastfeeding was 16.7 days. The proportion of mothers who breastfed exclusively after discharge was 14.8%, 2.0%, and 0.2% at 1, 4, and 6 months, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed that the mothers who had a higher BSES-SF score at baseline, underwent cesarean section, and practiced exclusive breastfeeding within 72 hours after delivery were significantly associated with a lower hazard of discontinuation of exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months postpartum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The exclusive breastfeeding rate among Chinese women is far from satisfactory. The Chinese (Mandarin) version of the BSES-SF can help in identifying mothers who need more support for exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months postpartum.
authors.affiliation: 1 The Nethersole School of Nursing, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wan-Yim
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.affiliation: 2 The School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: 1 The Nethersole School of Nursing, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kai-Chow
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: 1 The Nethersole School of Nursing, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Janita Pak-Chun
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: 3 The School of Nursing, Zheng-Zhou University, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Chinese women; breastfeeding; exclusive breastfeeding; self-efficacy