University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI.
Nest For Families, Kealakekua, HI.
Hawaii J Health Soc Welf. 2021 Oct;80(10 Suppl 2):25-29.
Increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates is an established public health strategy to reduce chronic disease and protect infants from illness. The role of breastfeeding in addressing health disparities takes on new significance as the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted some communities in Hawai'i, and those with chronic conditions face increased risk of hospitalization and death. However, there are myriad policy, systemic, and environmental barriers that make it difficult for parents to breastfeed, some of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This editorial discusses the importance of breastfeeding in reducing chronic disease, reviews the status of breastfeeding in Hawai'i, explores the challenges parents face in breastfeeding their infants, especially in the time of COVID-19, and presents opportunities for improved access to lactation care to reduce health disparities.
增加纯母乳喂养率是一项既定的公共卫生策略，旨在减少慢性病并保护婴儿免受疾病的影响。母乳喂养在解决健康差异方面的作用具有新的意义，因为 COVID-19 大流行不成比例地影响了夏威夷的一些社区，而那些患有慢性病的人面临着住院和死亡的风险增加。然而，存在着无数的政策、系统和环境障碍，使得父母难以进行母乳喂养，其中一些障碍因 COVID-19 大流行而加剧。本社论讨论了母乳喂养在减少慢性病方面的重要性，回顾了夏威夷母乳喂养的现状，探讨了父母在母乳喂养婴儿方面面临的挑战，特别是在 COVID-19 期间，并提出了改善获得哺乳护理的机会，以减少健康差异。
