Breastfeeding and Exposure to Past, Current, and Neighborhood Violence

Abstract

Objectives Breastfeeding has short- and long-term health benefits for children and mothers, but US breastfeeding rates are suboptimal. Exposure to violence may contribute to these low rates, which vary by race/ethnicity. We studied: (1) whether patterns of violence exposure differ by race/ethnicity and (2) whether these patterns are associated with breastfeeding outcomes. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of data drawn from self-report surveys completed by a convenience sample of low-income postpartum women (n = 760) in upstate New York. Latent class analysis was used to identify groups of women with similar responses to seven violence measures, including childhood physical and/or sexual violence, experience of partner violence during or just after pregnancy (physical, emotional, verbal), and neighborhood violence (perceived or by ZIP code). Logistic regression and survival analysis were utilized to determine if classes were associated with breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity, controlling for demographics. Results Exposure to at least one form of violence was high in this sample (87%). We identified 4 classes defined by violence exposure (combining current and historical exposures). Violence exposure patterns differed between racial/ethnic groups, but patterns were inconsistently associated with breastfeeding plans or outcomes. For White women, history of violence exposure increased the likelihood of earlier breastfeeding cessation. By contrast, among Black women, history of violence exposure increased the likelihood of having a breastfeeding plan and initiating breastfeeding. Conclusions for Practice Some differences between violence exposure classes are likely due to the correlation between race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status in the community studied. Additional studies are warranted to better understand how exposure to violence is related to breastfeeding and how best to support women making decisions about intention, initiation, and duration of breastfeeding.

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