Cutting S, Flanders-Stepans M B
S ummer C utting is a Family Nurse Practitioner in Anchorage, Alaska.
J Perinat Educ. 2001 Winter;10(1):21-30. doi: 10.1624/105812401X88020.
Breastfeeding provides valuable immunologic, nutritional, and psychological advantages to infants and is the most desirably complete diet for the infant during the first 6 months of life. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the prevalence of breastfeeding in a group of Alaskan Inupiat Eskimos, who live in northern Alaska. A convenience sample of 36 women making up three age cohorts was utilized (women ages 18 to 25, N=11; ages 26 to 40, N=14; ages 41 to 60, N=11). Data collected from these women on their choice of infant-feeding method contributed to measuring the prevalence of breastfeeding. Prevalence was also measured by categorizing the children of these women into three age groups and further classifying them as to how they were fed when they were infants. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing 95% confidence intervals. Results revealed that, in this sample and over the past 20 years, a substantial decline has occurred in the percentage of Inupiat infants exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months or longer. Data also indicated a downward trend in the percentage of mothers between the ages of 26 and 39 who initiate breastfeeding; however, among the mothers aged 18 to 25, data reflected a rising trend.
母乳喂养为婴儿提供了宝贵的免疫、营养和心理方面的优势，并且是婴儿出生后头6个月最理想的完整饮食。这项探索性研究的目的是确定居住在阿拉斯加北部的一群阿拉斯加伊努皮亚特爱斯基摩人中母乳喂养的流行情况。利用了一个由三个年龄组的36名女性组成的便利样本（18至25岁的女性，N = 11；26至40岁的女性，N = 14；41至60岁的女性，N = 11）。从这些女性那里收集到的关于她们婴儿喂养方式选择的数据有助于衡量母乳喂养的流行情况。流行率还通过将这些女性的孩子分为三个年龄组，并进一步根据她们婴儿时期的喂养方式进行分类来衡量。使用95%置信区间进行统计分析。结果显示，在这个样本中以及在过去20年里，伊努皮亚特婴儿纯母乳喂养6个月或更长时间的比例大幅下降。数据还表明，26至39岁开始母乳喂养的母亲比例呈下降趋势；然而，在18至25岁的母亲中，数据反映出上升趋势。
