Measures to promote breastfeeding in Imperatriz, State of Maranhão, Brazil: an epidemiological study

Abstract

This study was part of a Ph.D. project developed in the Graduate Program in Public Health Nursing at the School of Nursing of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo. Objective: We sought to analyze measures to promote breastfeeding (BF) in children under 1 year of age who were registered in the Family Health Strategy (Estratégia Saúde da Família - ESF) program in Imperatriz, State of Maranhão, with the goal of providing support for child health care. Methods: This descriptive, analytical, and cross-sectional study adopted an epidemiological approach and comprised children under 1 year of age and their mothers living in urban areas. Data were collected using semistructured questionnaires on child feeding. Hypothesis: The implementation of measures to promote BF in regions covered by the ESF initiative contributes to an increased prevalence of BF and decreased number of cases of acute diarrhea. This project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Maranhão.