US National Surveillance of Breastfeeding Behavior

Abstract

The Healthy People 2010objective to increase US national breastfeeding rates uses data from the Ross Laboratories Mothers Survey for monitoring. Because of scientific and political problems related to the use of these data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently held a meeting on surveillance systems for monitoring breastfeeding behaviors in the United States. Participants identified and discussed 12 surveillance systems that collect or could collect breastfeeding data. None of the existing systems met the participants' definition of an ideal system, although each was seen as providing additional insight into breastfeeding behaviors. Key recommendations are to (1) justify the need for additional resources to build a comprehensive national system; (2) add questions on breastfeeding incidence, duration, and exclusivity to the National Immunization Survey; (3) ensure that breastfeeding questions on national surveys are consistent; and (4) encourage state use of the breastfeeding module of the CDC's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.

Keywords

breastfeeding infant feeding surveillance monitoring Healthy People 2010

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References

US Department of Health and Human Services . Healthy People 2010. Conf. ed., vol. 2. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2000:16-46–16-48.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Guidelines for evaluating surveillance systems. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1988; 37(suppl S-5): 1-18.

Reinke WA . Tools for improving the process of planning. In: Reinke WA , ed. Health Planning for Effective Management. New York: Oxford University Press; 1988:204-204.