Determinants of termination of breastfeeding within the first 2 years of life in India: evidence from the National Family Health Survey-2.

Full Abstract

The present study assesses socio-demographic and health service determinants of termination of breastfeeding within the first 2 years of life in India by analysing data from the nationally representative National Family Health Survey-2 using Cox regression modelling techniques. While the likelihood of stopping breastfeeding increased with increasing household wealth status, it declined with increasing maternal age at childbirth. The likelihood of stopping breastfeeding was significantly higher among female children compared with male children, and the gender differential was attenuated by increasing maternal educational status. Overall, findings of the present study suggest that breastfeeding promotion programmes in India should focus on certain high-risk mother-child pairs such as female infants, first-born babies, babies born in the private sector and in urban areas, as well as mothers who are literate, have a higher wealth status, are aged less than 20 years and belong to Sikh or Christian communities. Qualitative studies to understand cultural factors or norms and causal pathways responsible for the association of identified factors and early termination of breastfeeding, especially household wealth status and maternal education, are also called for.

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Author information

Author/s: Malhotra, Rahul (R); Noheria, Amit (A); Amir, Omar (O); Ackerson, Leland K (LK); Subramanian, S V (SV);

Affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. rmalhotra(-atsign-)post.harvard.edu

Grants: 1 K25 HL081275 (Agency:United States NHLBI)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Maternal & child nutrition (Matern Child Nutr), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jul; vol 4 (issue 3) : pp 181-93

Dates: Created 2008/06/27; Completed 2008/09/02;

PMID: 18582352, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Age Factors
Breast Feeding - psychology; statistics & numerical data
Demography
Educational Status
Female
Health Surveys
Humans
India
Infant

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