Counseling and motivational videotapes increase duration of breast-feeding in African-American WIC participants who initiate breast-feeding.

Objective: To evaluate the relative effects introducing motivational videotapes and/or peer counseling in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics serving African-American women have on breast-feeding duration.

Design: Experimental intervention study. Pregnant women were enrolled at or before 24 weeks gestation and were followed up until postpartum week 16. Women were interviewed at enrollment, 7 to 10 days, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks postpartum. SUNJECTS/SETTING: One hundred fifteen African-American WIC participants who initiated breast-feeding and who had been enrolled in 1 of 4 clinics.

Intervention: Two-by-two factorial design, in which 4 clinics were randomly assigned to receive either no intervention, a motivational video package intervention, a peer-counseling intervention, or both interventions.

Main Outcome Measures: Breast-feeding duration in weeks and relative risk ratios for breast-feeding cessation before 16 weeks postpartum.

Statistical Analysis Performed: Contingency table analysis, including chi2 tests and log-rank tests; multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.

Results: A higher proportion of women were breast-feeding at 8 and 16 weeks postpartum in the intervention clinics than in the control clinic. The proportion of women reporting breast-feeding declined at 8 and 16 weeks postpartum, but the rate of decline was slower in the 3 intervention clinics than in the control clinic. Being younger than 19 years of age or older than 25 years of age, having a male infant, and returning to work or school all negatively affected breastfeeding duration, whereas previous breast-feeding experience positively influenced breast-feeding duration.

Applications/conclusions: WIC-based peer counselor support and motivational videos can positively affect the duration of breast-feeding among African-American women. WIC nutritionists and other health professionals in contact with this population should expand their efforts toward promoting increased duration of breast-feeding.