Association Between Exclusive Breastfeeding and Infant Health Outcomes in Pakistan
| Autor: | Ilana R. Azulay Chertok, Zelalem T. Haile, Omar B. Saeed |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Diarrhea
Male Fever Breastfeeding Pediatrics Odds 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine 030225 pediatrics Environmental health Medicine Health Status Indicators Humans Pakistan Association (psychology) Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena Respiratory Tract Infections Sampling frame 030504 nursing business.industry Confounding Infant Newborn Respiratory infection Infant Health Surveys Infant mortality Breast Feeding Cross-Sectional Studies Female medicine.symptom 0305 other medical science business |
| Zdroj: | Journal of pediatric nursing. 50 |
| ISSN: | 1532-8449 |
| Popis: | The infant mortality rate in Pakistan is one of the highest in the world with most cases attributed to diarrheal or respiratory diseases. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life is recommended by the World Health Organization to achieve optimal growth and health, however, in Pakistan the rate of exclusive breastfeeding by mothers is40%. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of exclusive breastfeeding, diarrhea, acute respiratory infections and fever among infants under the age of 6 months.The cross-sectional study analyzed secondary data from the 2017-18 Pakistan Demographic and Health-Survey. The sampling frame for the current study consisted of last-born children who were under the age of 6 months. The study sample consisted of 1033 infants under the age of 6 months.The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 53.6%. Compared to infants who were not breastfed exclusively, infants who were had lower odds of diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, and fever. The observed association was independent of potential confounders.Exclusive breastfeeding reduces the odds of childhood illnesses. Plausible explanations for the observed association may be related to human milk's contents including necessary nutrients to fulfill an infant's needs within first months of life. Additionally, continued exposure to breastfeeding also reduces exposure to other contaminated foods to ensure adequate nutrition for the infant.The findings have important implications for educating families and healthcare providers about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for optimal child health outcomes. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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