The Role of Breastfeeding in Pediatric Health Outcomes in Honduras Anne Siegel, Melanie Kennedy, Nathan Holman, Matt Imm The Ohio State University College of Medicine 1 Problem : Based on clinical observation during medical brigades in impoverished Honduran communities, there is an excessive amount of respiratory and gastrointestinal distress along with malnutrition among children. We sought to identify risk factors and areas for intervention to improve outcomes. 2 Methods -Data collected over 6 weeks during summer 2010 by OSU medical students using oral interviews -Interviews conducted among 70 families utilizing a standard survey emphasizing family demographics and general health and nutritional practices -Biometric data and general physical appearance of children under age 18 was also obtained -A breastfeeding scale was created and responses were summated as a measure of breastfeeding practices. -Higher breastfeeding scale scores indicated better compliance with breastfeeding recommendations. -Data was analyzed and correlations were found using statistical software. 3 Results -Poorer breastfeeding scale scores correlated with reported increase in pediatric diarrheal illness. - Poorer breastfeeding scale scores were positively related to respondents who saw their mothers daily and these women weaned their children sooner than respondents who saw their mothers less frequently - Longer exclusive breastfeeding practices are associated with stunting. 4 Conclusions - Breastfeeding practices contribute to children’s health and development. - Women who had more contact with their own mother may have had more ability to work outside the home and consequently devoted less time to breastfeeding. -Breastfeeding is an area where continued maternal education may improve pediatric health outcomes. 5 References - Victoria GC, Fuchs FC, Kirkwood BR, Lombardi C, Barros FC. “Breast-feeding, nutritional status, and other prognostic factors for dehydration among young children with diarrhoea in Brazil.” Bull World Health Organ 70 (1992): Hop LT, Gross R, Giay T, Sastroamidjojo S, Schultink W, Lang LT. “Premature complementary feeding is associated with poorer growth of vietnamese children.” The Journal of Nutrition 130 (2000): Lauer JA, Betran AP, Barros AJ, De Onis M. “Deaths and years of life lost due to suboptimal breast- feeding among children in the developing world: a global ecological risk assessment.” Public Health Nutrition 9 (2006): Otoo GE, Lartay AA, Pèrez-Escamilla R. “Perceived incentives and barriers to exclusive breastfeeding among periurban Ghanaian women.” Journal of Human Lactation: official journal of International Lactation Consultant Association 25 (2009): Figure 1: Relationship between breastfeeding scale and pediatric diarrheal illness. Fig ure 2: Comparison of duration of exclusive breastfeeding with stunted children Figure 4 : Relationship between breastfeeding scale score and survey Respondents contact with her own mother. Figure 3: Relationship between duration of exclusive breastfeeding and survey respondents contact with her own mother.