PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Social stigmas against breast-feeding may contribute to African-American college students' hesitation

2013-12-05
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Jesslyn Chew
ChewJ@missouri.edu
573-882-8353
University of Missouri-Columbia
Social stigmas against breast-feeding may contribute to African-American college students' hesitation COLUMBIA, Mo. – African-American mothers breast-feed their children at lower rates than Caucasian, Latina and Asian mothers. This difference often has been attributed to socio-demographic factors such as age, income, education and personal experience with breast-feeding. Now, a researcher at the University of Missouri has discovered that African-American college students are aware of the benefits of breast-feeding for infants, yet some still are hesitant about breast-feeding future children. Evidence revealed a lack of public acceptance toward breast-feeding may influence this hesitation.

"We need to start early with our breast-feeding education and exposure because women decide before they have children whether or not they will breast-feed," Urmeka Jefferson, assistant professor at the Sinclair School of Nursing, said. "We need to figure out how to encourage positive breast-feeding attitudes among young Black women and make them aware that breast-feeding is the normal, natural infant-feeding method."

Jefferson surveyed African-American college students about their attitudes and exposure to breast-feeding and their intent to breast-feed future children. She found the majority of students knew the benefits of breast-feeding and had some level of previous exposure, such as friends or parents who had breast-fed their infants. Despite their knowledge of the benefits of breast-feeding, many students felt formula-feeding was more convenient and a better choice if the mother worked outside the home. The overwhelming majority of students surveyed also expressed discomfort at the idea of breast-feeding in public places, such as a restaurant. Jefferson concluded that this discomfort may have less to do with racial or socio-demographic disparities and more to do with social stigmas against breast-feeding.

"Encouraging public acceptance of breast-feeding is important," Jefferson said. "Our American culture tends to add a sexual connotation to breast-feeding that is false, and we have to do more to change social perceptions so that women feel more comfortable breast-feeding in public. If we can get the message out to women and men before they have children, we'll have more parents who are knowledgeable about breast-feeding and intend to breast-feed their children."

Mothers choosing to breast-feed despite the negative social attitude surrounding it demonstrate a stronger intention and desire to do what is beneficial for their infants and themselves, Jefferson said. Children who are breast-fed are more resistant to disease and infection, while mothers who breast-feed are less likely to develop postpartum depression and breast cancer, Jefferson said.

Jefferson received the National Association of Neonatal Nurses research abstract award for her study, titled "Contribution of Breast-feeding Exposure and Attitudes to Breast-feeding Intentions of Black College Students." Previously, the full study, "Attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions regarding infant feeding methods among black college students," was published in the Western Journal of Nursing Research. In her future research, Jefferson hopes to identify the specific factors that may influence African-American women's decisions to breast-feed their infants.

### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New observations from NASA's Van Allen Probes offer solution to radiation belts mystery

2013-12-05
New observations from NASA's Van Allen Probes offer solution to radiation belts mystery In 1958, scientists discovered two gigantic belts of radiation around Earth that have provided tantalizing mysteries to researchers ever since. One unsolved ...

Glimpsing the infrastructure of a gamma-ray burst jet

2013-12-05
Glimpsing the infrastructure of a gamma-ray burst jet A new study using observations from a novel instrument provides the best look to date at magnetic fields at the heart of gamma-ray bursts, the most energetic explosions in the universe. An international ...

University of Tennessee study finds crocodiles are cleverer than previously thought

2013-12-05
University of Tennessee study finds crocodiles are cleverer than previously thought Turns out the crocodile can be a shrewd hunter himself; A University of Tennessee, Knoxville, researcher has found that some crocodiles use lures to hunt their prey Turns ...

Study gives new meaning to 'let your fingers do the walking'

2013-12-05
Study gives new meaning to 'let your fingers do the walking' VIDEO: A team of cognitive psychologists from Vanderbilt and Kobe Universities has discovered ...

Study links sleep to mood disturbance and poor quality of life in obese

2013-12-05
Study links sleep to mood disturbance and poor quality of life in obese Results emphasize the need to screen for sleep problems among people with severe obesity DARIEN, IL – A new study shows that poor sleep quality is strongly associated with mood disturbance ...

Tune in, turn on, power up

2013-12-05
Tune in, turn on, power up Researchers present a new method of wirelessly recharging medical device batteries with ultrasound SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 27, 2013 – Human beings don't come with power sockets, but a growing numbers of us have medical implants that run ...

Computer model suggests genetic breast cancer screening may benefit those at intermediate risk

2013-12-05
Computer model suggests genetic breast cancer screening may benefit those at intermediate risk Study findings published in Cancer Prevention Research underscore viability of simulation modeling to stratify patients by disease risk to better focus resources where most ...

Social ties more important than biology when it comes to teen sleep problems

2013-12-05
Social ties more important than biology when it comes to teen sleep problems WASHINGTON, DC, December 2, 2013 — Medical researchers point to developmental factors, specifically the decline of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, as an explanation for ...

Blacks happier at work than whites despite fewer friends, less autonomy

2013-12-05
Blacks happier at work than whites despite fewer friends, less autonomy WASHINGTON, DC, December 2, 2013 — Despite working in more routine and less autonomous jobs, having fewer close friends at work, and feeling less supported by their coworkers, blacks ...

Pediatric infectious disease chief authors new vaccination guideline for immunocompromised patients

2013-12-05
Pediatric infectious disease chief authors new vaccination guideline for immunocompromised patients NEW HYDE PARK, NY – A new guideline released Thursday by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) notes that most people with compromised ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Fat may play an important role in brain metabolism

New study finds no lasting impact of pandemic pet ownership on human well-being

New insights on genetic damage of some chemotherapies could guide future treatments with less harmful side effects

Gut microbes could protect us from toxic ‘forever chemicals’

Novel modelling links sea ice loss to Antarctic ice shelf calving events

Scientists can tell how fast you're aging from a single brain scan

U.S. uterine cancer incidence and mortality rates expected to significantly increase by 2050

Public take the lead in discovery of new exploding star

What are they vaping? Study reveals alarming surge in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD, and synthetic cannabinoids

ECMWF - delivering forecasts over 10 times faster and cutting energy usage by 1000

Brazilian neuroscientist reveals how viral infections transform the brain through microscopic detective work

Turning social fragmentation into action through discovering relatedness

Cheese may really be giving you nightmares, scientists find

Study reveals most common medical emergencies in schools

Breathable yet protective: Next-gen medical textiles with micro/nano networks

Frequency-engineered MXene supercapacitors enable efficient pulse charging in TENG–SC hybrid systems

Developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions

Achieving 20% efficiency in halogen-free organic solar cells via isomeric additive-mediated sequential processing

New book Terraglossia reclaims language, Country and culture

The most effective diabetes drugs don't reach enough patients yet

Breast cancer risk in younger women may be influenced by hormone therapy

Strategies for staying smoke-free after rehab

Commentary questions the potential benefit of levothyroxine treatment of mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy

Study projects over 14 million preventable deaths by 2030 if USAID defunding continues

New study reveals 33% gap in transplant access for UK’s poorest children

Dysregulated epigenetic memory in early embryos offers new clues to the inheritance of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

IVF and IUI pregnancy rates remain stable across Europe, despite an increasing uptake of single embryo transfer

It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections

From lab to market: how renewable polymers could transform medicine

Striking increase in obesity observed among youth between 2011 and 2023

[Press-News.org] Social stigmas against breast-feeding may contribute to African-American college students' hesitation