Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Belief systems of Jamaican mothers regarding bottle supplementation of breastfed infants

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/00000407r

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  • International health literature clearly describes the importance of breastfeeding for children''s health. The risks of bottle feeding in impoverished and unhygenic environments are also widely documented. Gastroenteritis, one of the most common problems associated with bottle feeding in the Third World, is the leading cause of death for Jamaican children under five years old. Studies of infant feeding practices in Jamaica indicate that most mothers provide bottle supplements to their breastfed infants. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the belief systems of Jamaican mothers regarding breast- and bottle feeding. A flexible discussion guide was developed to focus attention on the research questions. The guide was used during disucssions with groups of six to nine mothers, and data were collected through these audio-taped discussions. In order to explore the culturally rooted beliefs and subjective perceptions of participants, candid and informal dialogue was encouraged among the women. The fifty mothers who participated in this qualitative study were selected by community-based Jamaican organizations in urban and rural locations. Data were analyzed by categorizing responses transcribed from the recorded discussions. Themes within these broad categories were then identified. A comparison of the concepts identified through this process with the infant feeding guidelines established by the Jamaican Ministry of Health formed the basis for the discussion of the study's implications. Suggestions for future research are provided and recommendations for implementing breastfeeding education in maternal and child health clinics are described. The concluding discussion explores possibilities for expanding breastfeeding promotion efforts in Jamaica and considers this health issue within a larger historical, cultural and socioeconomic context.
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