Sociocultural Influences on the Determinants of Breast-feeding by Latina Mothers in the Cincinnati Area

While breast-feeding initiation and duration among US Latina women appear to decrease with acculturation, health care providers in the Greater Cincinnati area have noted lower rates of breast-feeding among even first-generation Latina immigrants. This study's purpose was to identify determinants of breast-feeding for Latina mothers in Cincinnati through qualitative interviews and Spanish Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale ratings. Our findings suggest that, along with similar levels of breast-feeding self-confidence, foreign-born Latina women in the Greater Cincinnati area share similar breast-feeding determinants with the general population. However, characteristics of these determinants and their impact vary because of unique pressures experienced by this community.