Individual breastfeeding support with contingent incentives for low-income mothers in the USA: the 'BOOST (Breastfeeding Onset & Onward with Support Tools)' randomised controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: National breastfeeding rates have improved in recent years, however, disparities exist by socioeconomic and psychosocial factors. Suboptimal breastfeeding overburdens the society by increasing healthcare costs. Existing breastfeeding supports including education and peer support have not been sufficient in sustaining breastfeeding rates especially among low-income women. The preliminary outcomes of contingent incentives for breastfeeding in addition to existing support show promising effects in sustaining breastfeeding among mothers in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Programme for women, infants and children (WIC). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This trial uses a parallel randomised controlled trial. This trial is conducted at two sites in separate states in the USA. Mothers who were enrolled in WIC and initiated breastfeeding are eligible. Participants (n=168) are randomised into one of the two study groups: (1) standard care control (SC) group consisting of WIC breastfeeding services plus home-based individual support or (2) SC plus breastfeeding incentives (SC +BFI) contingent on demonstrating successful breastfeeding. All participants receive standard breastfeeding services from WIC, home-based individual support and assessments. Participants in SC receive financial compensation based on the number of completed monthly home visits, paid in a lump sum at the end of the 6-month intervention period. Participants in SC +BFI receive an escalating magnitude of financial incentives contingent on observed breastfeeding, paid monthly during the intervention period, as well as bonus incentives for selecting full breastfeeding food packages at WIC. The primary hypothesis is that monthly incentives contingent on breastfeeding in SC +BFI will significantly increase rates of any breastfeeding compared with SC. The primary outcome is the rate of any breastfeeding over 12 months. Randomisation is completed in an automated electronic system. Staff conducting home visits for support and assessments are blinded to study groups. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Advarra Institutional Review Board has approved the study protocol (Pro00033168). Findings will be disseminated to our participants, scientific communities, public health officials and any other interested community members. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03964454.

Community health workers: collaborating to support breastfeeding among high-risk inner-city mothers.

BACKGROUND: Low breastfeeding rates persist as a health disparity among high-risk inner-city mothers. We sought to obtain input of community health workers (CHWs) in preparation for a breastfeeding intervention. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We conducted audiotaped focus groups with CHWs of the Cleveland (OH) Department of Public Health's MomsFirst™, a federally funded Healthy Start program, which addressed interest in breastfeeding, positives and negatives of breastfeeding, perceived barriers, and an intervention concept. We used notes-based and tape-based analysis with a previously developed theme code modified for breastfeeding relevance. RESULTS: Seventeen (50%) of 34 actively employed CHWs participated in two focus groups. Issues that emerged were as follows: (1) breastfeeding is "hard" for young mothers, with multiple obstacles identified, including lack of support at home, pain with nursing, extra time required, incompatibility with medications and lifestyle, body image concerns, and "no equipment" (breast pumps); (2) expected supports such as postpartum hospital care have not been helpful, and in-home help is needed; (3) many CHWs' personal breastfeeding experiences were difficult; (4) CHWs requested additional breastfeeding education for themselves; and (5) while strongly endorsing "making a difference" in their clients' lives, CHWs worried that additional curricular mandates would create burden that could become a disincentive. CONCLUSIONS: CHWs who make home visits are in a unique position to impact their clients' breastfeeding decisions. A targeted intervention for high-risk inner-city mothers must meet the educational needs of the teachers (CHWs) while minimizing administrative burden, address issues identified by the clients (mothers), and provide hands-on help within the home.

Breastfeeding among high-risk inner-city African-American mothers: a risky choice?

OBJECTIVE: This study identified barriers to breastfeeding among high-risk inner-city African-American mothers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We used audiotaped focus groups moderated by an experienced International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, with recruitment supported by the community partner MomsFirst™ (Cleveland Department of Public Health, Cleveland, OH). Institutional Review Board approval and written informed consent were obtained. Notes-based analysis was conducted with use of a prior analytic structure called Factors Influencing Beliefs (FIBs), redefined with inclusion/exclusion criteria to address breastfeeding issues. RESULTS: Three focus groups included 20 high-risk inner-city expectant and delivered mothers. Relevant FIBs domains were as follows: Risk Appraisal, Self Perception, Relationship Issues/Social Support, and Structural/Environmental Factors. Risk Appraisal themes included awareness of benefits, fear of pain, misconceptions, and lack of information. Self Perception themes included low self-efficacy with fear of social isolation and limited expression of positive self-esteem. Relationship Issues/Social Support themes included formula as a cultural norm, worries about breastfeeding in public, and challenging family relationships. Structural/Environmental Factors themes included negative postpartum hospital experiences and lack of support after going home. CONCLUSIONS: Several findings have been previously reported, such as fear of pain with breastfeeding, but we identified new themes, including self-esteem and self-efficacy, and new concerns, for example, that large breasts would suffocate a breastfeeding infant. The FIBs analytic framework, as modified for breastfeeding issues, creates a context for future analysis and comparison of related studies and may be a useful tool to improve understanding of barriers to breastfeeding among high-risk inner-city women.

Tinea capitis: predictive value of symptoms and time to cure with griseofulvin treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To describe (a) the predictive value of symptoms for diagnosis of tinea capitis and (b) the rate and timing of cure with high-dose griseofulvin treatment. METHODS: This prospective open-label study enrolled children aged 1 to 12 years with clinical tinea capitis. Participants with a positive dermatophyte culture received oral griseofulvin (20-25 mg/kg/day) and topical selenium sulfide shampoo for 6 weeks. Main outcome measures. The rate of symptoms of tinea capitis, and rates of mycologic and clinical cure. RESULTS: The positive predictive values of any 1, 2, 3, or 4 symptoms for a positive culture were 88%, 82%, 78%, and 77%, respectively. The observed rates of mycologic, clinical, and complete cure were 89%, 66%, and 49%, respectively. conclusion: In a high-risk population it is reasonable to diagnose tinea capitis using one or more cardinal symptoms. Oral griseofulvin at 20 to 25 mg/ kg/day with adjunctive shampooing for 6 weeks is moderately successful as treatment.

Increased lactation risk for late preterm infants and mothers: evidence and management strategies to protect breastfeeding.

Late preterm infants (34 0/7-36 6/7 weeks of gestation) are often cared for in general maternity units by clinicians who have limited experience with the specific needs of these newborns. Although the benefits of human milk are well documented, mothers and their late preterm infants are at risk for poor lactation outcomes. These include early breastfeeding cessation and lactation-associated morbidities, including poor growth, jaundice, and dehydration. Late preterm infants are more likely than term infants to develop temperature instability, hypoglycemia, respiratory distress, jaundice, feeding problems, and to require rehospitalization in the first 2 weeks postbirth. Breastfeeding can exacerbate these problems, because late preterm infants often lack the ability to consume an adequate volume of milk at breast, and their mothers are at risk for delayed lactogenesis. This article reviews strategies to protect breastfeeding for the late preterm infant and mother dyad by establishing and maintaining maternal milk volume while facilitating adequate infant intake.