Determinants of breastfeeding in the Philippines: a survival analysis

Teresa S. J. Abada, Frank Trovato and Nirannanilathu Lalu

Social Science & Medicine, 2001, vol. 52, issue 1, 71-81

Abstract: This study examines modern and traditional factors that may lengthen or shorten the duration of breastfeeding. Specifically, health sector, socio-economic, demographic, and supplementary food variables are analysed among a large representative sample of women in the Philippines. It is proposed that while modernisation can lead to the adoption of western behaviours, traditional cultural values can also prevail, resulting in the rejection of certain aspects of modernity. The Cox Proportional Hazards model is employed for the analysis of breastfeeding. The results show that traditional factors associated with breastfeeding (use of solid foods such as porridge and applesauce, and prenatal care by a traditional nurse/midwife) do not play a significant role in the mother's decision to continue breastfeeding. Factors associated with modernity are significant in explaining early termination of breastfeeding (respondent's education, prenatal care by a medical doctor, delivery in a hospital and use of infant formula). The findings of this study suggest that health institutions and medical professionals can play a significant role in promoting breastfeeding in the Philippines; and educational campaigns that stress the benefits of lactation are important strategies for encouraging mothers to breastfeed longer.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; Promotion; of; breastfeeding; Philippines (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2001
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277-9536(00)00123-4
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:52:y:2001:i:1:p:71-81

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
http://www.elsevier. ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

Access Statistics for this article

Social Science & Medicine is currently edited by Ichiro (I.) Kawachi and S.V. (S.V.) Subramanian

More articles in Social Science & Medicine from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().