Racial and ethnic differences in breastfeeding, maternal knowledge, and self-efficacy among low-income mothers

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine racial and ethnic differences in the propensity to engage in breastfeeding, maternal knowledge, and self-efficacy in infant feeding among three groups of low-income mothers: non-Hispanic (NH) White, NH African American, and Hispanic.

Background: While racial and ethnic differences in infant feeding practices are substantial, these differences have not been broadly examined in relation to breastfeeding, maternal knowledge, and self-efficacy in infant feeding among low-income mothers.

Methods: This secondary analysis used baseline data from a randomized clinical trial with a sample of 540 low-income, mother-infant dyads from Michigan and Colorado. All data were collected when infants were approximately one month old via self-report questionnaires.

Results: After adjusting for mothers' age, education, marital and working status, the odds of engaging in any form of breastfeeding among Hispanic mothers remained significantly higher than among NH African-American mothers (OR=2.5, 95% CI:1.59-3.96) and NH White mothers (OR=1.7, 95% CI:1.08-2.81). However, Hispanic mothers had significantly lower maternal knowledge and self-efficacy in infant feeding than the other two groups. No significant correlations were found between maternal knowledge, self-efficacy in infant feeding, and the propensity to breastfeed.

Conclusions: Racial and ethnic variations were evident in the propensity to breastfeed, maternal knowledge, and self-efficacy in infant feeding suggesting the importance of tailoring breastfeeding programs to improve breastfeeding, and associated positive health outcomes. Further investigation is needed to find a better way to address breastfeeding disparity in relation to race and ethnicity, maternal knowledge, and self-efficacy in infant feeding.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; Ethnicity; Knowledge; Race; Self-efficacy.