Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Health Promotion, Education and Behavior

Sub-Department

Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health

First Advisor

Edward A. Frongillo

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relationship of not having breastfeeding support policy in workplace such as employees pumping breast milk or breastfeeding their infant while at work policy to early initiation of formula and cessation of breastfeeding. Design: Crosssectional study. Setting and Subjects: A total of 273 workingwomen, working in 12 different organizations in Riyadh, KSA. Method: An electronic questionnaire survey was administered to 340 workingwomen in 12 different organizations in Riyadh. Questions were about participants’ demographics and employment characteristics, breastfeeding support services in their workplace, knowledge about breastfeeding benefits, breastfeeding duration after return to work, and formula initiation. Results: Having and knowing about a policy supporting breastfeeding employees to breastfeed or express milk in their workplace was associated with lower discontinuance of breastfeeding (OR (95%CI)= 0.157 (0.019-1.299). In addition, the hazard of discontinuance of any breastfeeding 2 months after return to work until one year working and early initiation of formula feeding after baby’s birth significantly decreased with having a policy facilitating breastfeeding employees to breastfeed or express milk in their workplace, where the hazard ratios were (HR=0.390, p-value=0.0498) and (HR=0.448, pvalue= 0.0110), respectively. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that not having policies that support breastfeeding employees to breastfeed or express milk in their workplace are significantly associated with decrease any breastfeeding duration and increase early formula initiation.

Rights

© 2016, Maryam Suliman Alhabas

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