Breastfeeding initiation in immigrant and non-immigrant women in Spain

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition 2011-12, Vol.65 (12), p.1345-1347
• Main Authors: Río, I, Castelló-Pastor, A, del Val Sandín-Vázquez, M, Barona, C, Jané, M, Más, R, Rebagliato, M, Bolúmar, F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/443/319/1488; 692/700/478/174; Adult; Africa - ethnology; Biological and medical sciences; Breast feeding; Breast Feeding - ethnology; Breastfeeding & lactation; China - ethnology; Clinical Nutrition; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cultural Competency; Emigrants and Immigrants; Epidemiology; Europe, Eastern - ethnology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health behavior; Health care; Health services; Healthcare Disparities - ethnology; Hospitals; Hospitals - standards; Humans; Immigrants; Infant; Internal Medicine; Latin America - ethnology; Male; Medical care; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Minority & ethnic groups; Noncitizens; Physiological aspects; Postnatal Care - standards; Prevalence; Public Health; Quality management; Quality of Health Care; short-communication; Spain; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Women immigrants; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2011.121

Research about inequities between native and immigrant women regarding the quality of health care is still scarce. Initiation of breastfeeding in hospital is considered a quality care indicator. In this study, we explore the association between the geographical origin of the women and the establishment of breastfeeding in Spanish hospitals. Prevalence of breastfeeding initiation is higher for women from Latin America, Eastern Europe, Maghreb or sub-Saharan Africa than for Spanish women, and lower for Chinese women. Compared with Spanish women the odds of not breastfeeding in hospital were lower in all these immigrant groups but more than five times higher for Chinese immigrants. Culturally adapted health services are necessary to maintain breastfeeding rates in most immigrant groups. Moreover, it seems urgent to identify the factors influencing patterns of breastfeeding in Chinese immigrants and to develop innovative strategies to encourage breastfeeding initiation in hospital.