TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the Efficacy of a Breastfeeding-Friendly Quality Improvement Project in a Large Federally Qualified Health Center Network
AU - Rosen-Carole, Casey
AU - Waltermaurer, Eve
AU - Goudreault, Monet
AU - Larimer, Allison
AU - Pokharel-Wood, Miriam
AU - Rajupet, Sritha
AU - Kouba, Nafila
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 The Author(s).
PY - 2016/8/1
Y1 - 2016/8/1
N2 - Background: Provider attitudes can influence breastfeeding decision making, initiation, and duration, although much of this research has suffered from a "hospital-limited view." Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a Breastfeeding-Friendly Initiative (BFI) on knowledge and attitudes of providers and staff, as well as breastfeeding rates of patients within a large Federally Qualified Health Center network with no lactation consultants on staff. Methods: We evaluated breastfeeding rates before and throughout the BFI. In addition, surveys of 136 primary care providers and staff before and after they were exposed to a breastfeeding education module were assessed to measure changes in breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes. Results: Breastfeeding initiation and duration improved over the course of the BFI, with mean breastfeeding duration increasing by nearly 1 month following the education module compared with baseline rates (P =.01). Following participation in the breastfeeding education module, we observed a statistically significant improvement in provider and staff knowledge (P <.01) and attitudes (P <.01). These improvements were consistent across employment type, gender, geography, and personal experience as a parent. Conclusion: Implementing a BFI in a large multispecialty primary care network was found to improve breastfeeding initiation and duration up to 1 year, with a further increase in breastfeeding duration of 1 month following a 45-minute staff education module. After exposure to this module, health care providers and staff across our network improved in breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes. Given that expectant and new mothers regularly come into contact with staff and providers in primary care, sound knowledge and positive attitudes toward breastfeeding appear to have had a favorable effect on mothers that correlates with improved breastfeeding duration.
AB - Background: Provider attitudes can influence breastfeeding decision making, initiation, and duration, although much of this research has suffered from a "hospital-limited view." Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a Breastfeeding-Friendly Initiative (BFI) on knowledge and attitudes of providers and staff, as well as breastfeeding rates of patients within a large Federally Qualified Health Center network with no lactation consultants on staff. Methods: We evaluated breastfeeding rates before and throughout the BFI. In addition, surveys of 136 primary care providers and staff before and after they were exposed to a breastfeeding education module were assessed to measure changes in breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes. Results: Breastfeeding initiation and duration improved over the course of the BFI, with mean breastfeeding duration increasing by nearly 1 month following the education module compared with baseline rates (P =.01). Following participation in the breastfeeding education module, we observed a statistically significant improvement in provider and staff knowledge (P <.01) and attitudes (P <.01). These improvements were consistent across employment type, gender, geography, and personal experience as a parent. Conclusion: Implementing a BFI in a large multispecialty primary care network was found to improve breastfeeding initiation and duration up to 1 year, with a further increase in breastfeeding duration of 1 month following a 45-minute staff education module. After exposure to this module, health care providers and staff across our network improved in breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes. Given that expectant and new mothers regularly come into contact with staff and providers in primary care, sound knowledge and positive attitudes toward breastfeeding appear to have had a favorable effect on mothers that correlates with improved breastfeeding duration.
KW - baby-friendly
KW - breastfeeding
KW - breastfeeding education
KW - breastfeeding rates
KW - community health
KW - federally qualified health center
KW - health care education
KW - infant health
KW - primary care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84979021991&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0890334415610326
DO - 10.1177/0890334415610326
M3 - Article
C2 - 26497362
AN - SCOPUS:84979021991
SN - 0890-3344
VL - 32
SP - 489
EP - 497
JO - Journal of Human Lactation
JF - Journal of Human Lactation
IS - 3
ER -