Influence of Health Literacy on Maintenance of Exclusive Breastfeeding at 6 Months Postpartum: A Multicentre Study

María Jesús Valero-Chillerón, Desirée Mena-Tudela, Águeda Cervera-Gasch, Víctor Manuel González-Chordá, Francisco Javier Soriano-Vidal, José Antonio Quesada, Enrique Castro-Sánchez and Rafael Vila-Candel
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María Jesús Valero-Chillerón: Department of Nursing, Universitat Jaume I, Av. de Vicent Sos Baynat, 12071 Castelló, Spain
Desirée Mena-Tudela: Department of Nursing, Universitat Jaume I, Av. de Vicent Sos Baynat, 12071 Castelló, Spain
Águeda Cervera-Gasch: Department of Nursing, Universitat Jaume I, Av. de Vicent Sos Baynat, 12071 Castelló, Spain
Víctor Manuel González-Chordá: Department of Nursing, Universitat Jaume I, Av. de Vicent Sos Baynat, 12071 Castelló, Spain
Francisco Javier Soriano-Vidal: Department of Nursing, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain
José Antonio Quesada: Department of Clinical Medicine, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
Enrique Castro-Sánchez: Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance at Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
Rafael Vila-Candel: Department of Nursing, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-13

Abstract: Background: International organizations recommend initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of life and maintaining exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. However, worldwide rates of exclusive breastfeeding for 6-month-old infants is far from meeting the goal proposed by the World Health Organization, which is to reach a minimum of 50% of infants. Education is one of the factors affecting the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding, and incidentally, it is also related to lower health literacy. This study explored the influence of health literacy on maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum. Methods: A longitudinal multicenter study with 343 women were recruited between January 2019 and January 2020. The first questionnaire was held during the puerperium (24–48 h) with mothers practicing exclusive breastfeeding, with whom 6-month postpartum breastfeeding follow-up was performed. Socio-demographic, clinical and obstetric variables were collected. Breastfeeding efficiency was assessed using the LATCH breastfeeding assessment tool. The health literacy level was evaluated by the Newest Vital Sign screening tool. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to detect protective factors for early exclusive breastfeeding cessation. Results: One third of the women continued exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum. Approximately half the participants had a low or inadequate health literacy level. An adequate health literacy level, a high LATCH breastfeeding assessment tool score (>9 points) and being married were the protective factors against exclusive breastfeeding cessation at 6 months postpartum. Conclusion: Health literacy levels are closely related to maintaining exclusive breastfeeding and act as a protective factor against early cessation. A specific instrument is needed to measure the lack of “literacy in breastfeeding”, in order to verify the relationship between health literacy and maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding.

Keywords: breastfeeding; breastfeeding cessation; early weaning; exclusive breastfeeding; health literacy; nursing; women (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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