Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Services

Advisor

Nazarene Tubman

Abstract

Breastfeeding provides complete nutrition to infants and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases among infants and their mothers, yet disparities exist. African American mothers have the lowest breastfeeding rates compared to other ethnic groups in the United States. There is limited qualitative research on health services support from the African American mother’s perspective. Understanding health behaviors may improve programming, reduce racial and ethnic disparities, and address social determinants of health. The purpose of this study was to explore African American women’s beliefs, experiences, perspectives, and opinions around breastfeeding support provided in healthcare settings by healthcare professionals. From a conceptual framework of the social ecological model, research questions explored (a) the experiences of African American women who chose to breastfeed their child(ren) and those who refused breastfeeding, and (b) what effect breastfeeding support provided in healthcare settings has on African Americans women’s decision to breastfeed or not. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was conducted on interview data collected from 10 African American mothers living near Atlanta, Georgia, with infants born from 2015 to 2020. This study describes barriers to breastfeeding and experiences of support. Findings show mothers are influenced by provider interactions, need increased knowledge of benefits and barriers, and need stronger support throughout the breastfeeding continuum. These findings add to the body of knowledge for health service providers and have implications for positive social change, including the potential to increase breastfeeding rates, increase maternal support, and reduce the risk of infant mortality, morbidity, and chronic disease.

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