Aboriginal Breastfeeding: Program Plan

Topic, introduction & Background.

• We chose to do the topic Feeding our future which focused on Aboriginal early childhood nutrition and physical activity and we are focusing on breastfeeding.

• The aim of this report is to address the Aboriginal early childhood nutrition and physical activity needs assessment report (Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) 2012) by planning interventions to improve health outcomes.
• The framework we used is the Central Sydney Planning Framework

• The poor health status of many Aboriginal infants is linked to recurrent infection, under nutrition and increasingly over nutrition.
• In Victoria selects studies have identified that out of 85% of Victorian Aboriginal mothers who breastfeed their babies, only 50% are continuing when the baby reaches 3 months of age. (Adams, K. 2006)

• Pain or discomfort associated with breastfeeding
• Lack of partner and family/grandmother support
• Lack of (self-efficacy) antenatal confidence in her ability to breastfed
• Peer norms and lack of community support
• Embarrassment breastfeeding in public
• Poor maternal nutrition
• Low socioeconomic status
• Wanting father to be involved with feeding
• Negative media messages about breastfeeding

Plus many more...

• Aboriginal women in urban areas are less likely to initiate breastfeeding compared with non-Aboriginal women
• Rural towns are not always seen as being ‘breastfeeding friendly’ by mothers.
• Living in a rural or remote area translates to limited access to medical and health professional facilities.
• Women in regional and remote communities do not have the same level of breastfeeding support available as women in urban areas.

By 2030, improve early childhood nutrition in Aboriginal communities within rural and remote Victoria by addressing the gap in breastfeeding rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women.

Program Objectives:

• 1. By 2030 increase education in Aboriginal communities in rural and remote Victoria on the benefits of breastfeeding in order to promote breastfeeding.
• 2. Increase supportive facilities and environments for Aboriginal women in communities in rural and remote Victoria by 2030.
• 3. Improve positive societal and cultural attitudes of Aboriginal communities in rural and remote Victoria, by 2030.

• Fathers support promotes longer duration of breastfeeding (Brown and Davies, 2014)
• Support can be gained through education on the benefits and ways they can support their partner (Pisacane, 2005)
• Achieved through prenatal and antenatal classes for fathers
• Mothers who attend class with partners are more likely to breastfeed for full duration (Hunter and Cattelona 2014)
• Building capacity of partners through education, building partnerships in community (health sectors, community members).

• Cultural sensitivity needs to be considered
• In order to be successful trust must be gained in the communities (Lu et al., 2014)
• Have community members deliver/teach information
• Group and individual mentoring are most effective (Haroon et al., 2013), peer mentoring is also effective.
• Incorporated both to make the strategy successful
• Educating to build capacity and training community members
• Partnerships with education sectors, health sectors and key community members.

• Public breastfeeding was associated with embarrassment and shame.
• Baby Care Rooms give a private space where women can feel comfortable (Australian Breastfeeding Association, 2015).
• Facilities must be friendly, not ‘resemble a public toilet’ (VACCHO, 2011).
• More access to these rooms encourages more women to breastfeed.
• Partnerships with health and government sectors.

• Attitudes can be formed due to lack of information and cultural differences.
• To promote positive attitudes more information on breastfeeding benefits is needed (Myers et al. 2014).
• Lack of access to services due to living in rural and remote areas.
• Increasing access and knowledge on breastfeeding raises rates
• Benefits can be learnt in school to instil a positive view at a young age (Gilchrist et al. 2004).
• Build partner ships with schools, health professionals and health service providers, government sectors.

Aboriginal Breastfeeding: Program Plan

Sari, Jordan & Rachael

Program Goal:

Using Criteria:

This included aspects from:

Ottawa Charter (1996)

• Strengthen community action
• Create supportive environments

Algie (unpublished)

• Best available evidence
• Reduce social inequities and injustice
• Empower individuals and communities

Key Stakeholders:

Key stakeholders include:

• Government Organisations that help to provide funding, sponsorships, research developments
• NGO's which can involve peak bodies & charity groups which is multi sectoral
• Health Care: Primary and secondary health care work together to build health within hospitals and clinics.

Objective One

Barriers to breastfeeding

Why is breastfeeding important to Indigenous people?

Strategies:

1. Running antenatal and postnatal education sessions for fathers in the community.

2. Conducting free one-on-one peer mentoring sessions on the benefits of breastfeeding for Aboriginal mothers.

Rural & Remote Areas

Objective 2

Strategy 1

Strategies:

1. Provide more Baby Care Rooms within communities to enabling mothers to feed and change babies and toddlers whilst away from home.

2. Increase access to well-coordinated care facilities for mothers and their babies by initiating a mobile clinic program.

Strategy 2

Strategy 3

Strategy 5

Strategies and their relation to the Ottawa Charter for

Health Promotion:

Objective Three

Strategies:

1. Provide educative resources through public facilities notably schools and hospitals. This may include brochures, hospital programs or focus groups for mothers or school classes aimed at breastfeeding education.

2. Use other further reaching means to educate different community groups. This may include discussion of the topic through TV or Radio or mail handouts.

Assignment 3 Presentation