Socioeconomic status and breastfeeding in China: an analysis of data from a longitudinal nationwide household survey

BMC Pediatrics

Jay Pan¹  Chu Chen¹  Guo Cheng¹ 

[1] West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University;

关键词: Socioeconomic status;    Breastfeeding initiation;    Breastfeeding duration;    Educational status;    Occupational status;    China;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12887-019-1551-2

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Socioeconomic status is an important factor affecting the initiation and cessation of breastfeeding. However, limited evidence exists regarding the association between socioeconomic status and breastfeeding behavior in China on a national level. This study aims to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status and the initiation and duration of breastfeeding in China. Methods Data were collected from the China Family Panel Studies, a longitudinal nationwide household survey. A total of 2938 infants born between 2010 and 2014 were included in the study. The logistic regression model was used to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status and the initiation of breastfeeding. Meanwhile, the Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status and the risk of breastfeeding cessation. Results Overall, 90.5% of infants were breastfed, while the average duration of breastfeeding was 8.66 months in China. The breastfeeding continuance rate at 12 months declined sharply, to 30.1%. The study’s findings also indicate that socioeconomic status did not significantly affect breastfeeding initiation. However, infants whose mothers had a high school or higher education and who scored 33–58 on the International Socio-Economic Index of Occupational Status (ISEI) were more likely to experience breastfeeding cessation, as were infants whose fathers had an ISEI score of 59–90. Conclusions Efforts to promote breastfeeding practices should be conducted comprehensively to target mothers with a high school or higher education, mothers with a medium occupational status, and fathers with a high occupational status.

【 授权许可】

Unknown