Hannan Abeda, Li Ruowei, Benton-Davis Sandra, Grummer-Strawn Laurence
DeKalb County Board of Health, Atlanta, Georgia 30034, USA.
J Hum Lact. 2005 Aug;21(3):284-8. doi: 10.1177/0890334405278490.
Because social and cultural norms are associated with women's breastfeeding behaviors, it is important to understand public opinions toward breastfeeding in the United States. Using data from the Healthstyles survey, the authors examined regional variations in (1) public knowledge about health benefits of breastfeeding, (2) public attitudes toward breastfeeding in public, (3) public support for workplace breastfeeding policies, and (4) public perceptions about breastfeeding duration. Pacific, West South Central, West North Central, and Mountain respondents were the most knowledgeable about the health benefits of breastfeeding. Mountain, New England, and Pacific respondents exhibited the most positive attitudes about breastfeeding in public. Mountain and Pacific respondents showed the strongest support for workplace breastfeeding policies. Pacific, Mountain, and East North Central respondents displayed the most positive perceptions about breastfeeding duration. This study emphasizes the need to learn from the best regions and apply subsequent findings to those regions having less positive public opinions and low breastfeeding rates.
由于社会和文化规范与女性的母乳喂养行为相关，因此了解美国公众对母乳喂养的看法很重要。作者利用健康生活方式调查的数据，研究了以下方面的地区差异：（1）公众对母乳喂养健康益处的了解；（2）公众对公共场所母乳喂养的态度；（3）公众对职场母乳喂养政策的支持；（4）公众对母乳喂养时长的看法。太平洋地区、西中南部、西北中部和山区的受访者对母乳喂养的健康益处了解最多。山区、新英格兰和太平洋地区的受访者对公共场所母乳喂养表现出最积极的态度。山区和太平洋地区的受访者对职场母乳喂养政策的支持最为强烈。太平洋地区、山区和东中北部的受访者对母乳喂养时长表现出最积极的看法。这项研究强调有必要向表现最佳的地区学习，并将后续研究结果应用于那些公众看法不太积极且母乳喂养率较低的地区。
