School of Medicine and Health Sciences Poster Presentations
A Program Evaluation of Homeless Prenatal Program's Healthy Feeding Initiative Breastfeeding Rates
Document Type
Poster
Abstract Category
Women/Child Health
Keywords
Breastfeeding, pregnancy, homeless
Publication Date
Spring 5-1-2019
Abstract
Background Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which has worked with homeless and low-income families in San Francisco since 1989. HPP provided over 4,200 families with programs related to housing, prenatal and parenting life, family finances, health education, mental health, and breastfeeding. Breastfeeding has numerous beneficial properties for both the mother and infant. The CDC recommends that women breastfeed for at least 12 months for optimal health benefits; however, only 31% of women breastfeed for that period. Objective HPP wanted to evaluate the success of its breastfeeding program, Healthy Feeding Initiative, by exploring if its members participated in breastfeeding for 12 months after birth. This program evaluation compares the breastfeeding rates of HPP to national trends to assess the effectiveness and deficits of the program. Methods HPP randomly selected a sample group from women who had utilized the Healthy Feeding Initiative and asked whether they had breastfed for 12 months. These members were further categorized by race, Hispanic or Black. To analyze the national trend, NHANEs unweighted 2009-2010 data was filtered for breastfed infants (DBRAF) via the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). This data was then further broken down by race (Non-white Hispanic and Black). A chi squared test compared the percentage of breastfeeding mothers by race from HPP and NHANEs national data set. Results Homeless Prenatal Program data showed that 69% of women randomly selected from its Healthy Feeding Initiative breastfed for 12 months. NHANES data reported that 11.84% of women breastfed. At HPP, 57.9% of Black women and 75% of Hispanic clients breastfed their children. In comparison, NHANES data found that 6% of black women and 17% of Hispanic women breastfed their children. HPP's breastfeeding rates were statistically significant to NHANES (p = .007, chi square = 7.21). Conclusions Homeless Prenatal Program's Healthy Feeding Initiative has excelled at encouraging mothers to breastfed compared to the national average. Their methods of providing supplies, lactation consults, private lactation rooms, and classes that reduce stigma have been effective. Further studies are needed to explore why 30% of HPP members were not breastfeeding the recommended time.
Open Access
1
A Program Evaluation of Homeless Prenatal Program's Healthy Feeding Initiative Breastfeeding Rates
Background Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which has worked with homeless and low-income families in San Francisco since 1989. HPP provided over 4,200 families with programs related to housing, prenatal and parenting life, family finances, health education, mental health, and breastfeeding. Breastfeeding has numerous beneficial properties for both the mother and infant. The CDC recommends that women breastfeed for at least 12 months for optimal health benefits; however, only 31% of women breastfeed for that period. Objective HPP wanted to evaluate the success of its breastfeeding program, Healthy Feeding Initiative, by exploring if its members participated in breastfeeding for 12 months after birth. This program evaluation compares the breastfeeding rates of HPP to national trends to assess the effectiveness and deficits of the program. Methods HPP randomly selected a sample group from women who had utilized the Healthy Feeding Initiative and asked whether they had breastfed for 12 months. These members were further categorized by race, Hispanic or Black. To analyze the national trend, NHANEs unweighted 2009-2010 data was filtered for breastfed infants (DBRAF) via the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). This data was then further broken down by race (Non-white Hispanic and Black). A chi squared test compared the percentage of breastfeeding mothers by race from HPP and NHANEs national data set. Results Homeless Prenatal Program data showed that 69% of women randomly selected from its Healthy Feeding Initiative breastfed for 12 months. NHANES data reported that 11.84% of women breastfed. At HPP, 57.9% of Black women and 75% of Hispanic clients breastfed their children. In comparison, NHANES data found that 6% of black women and 17% of Hispanic women breastfed their children. HPP's breastfeeding rates were statistically significant to NHANES (p = .007, chi square = 7.21). Conclusions Homeless Prenatal Program's Healthy Feeding Initiative has excelled at encouraging mothers to breastfed compared to the national average. Their methods of providing supplies, lactation consults, private lactation rooms, and classes that reduce stigma have been effective. Further studies are needed to explore why 30% of HPP members were not breastfeeding the recommended time.
Comments
Presented at Research Days 2019.