Growth and Change in the Journal of Human Lactation: A Content Analysis 1985–2018

Abstract

Background: A professional association journal should reflect the needs of its organization, its readers, and the field it represents. Evaluating the needs that the Journal of Human Lactation has met, and those it has not, is essential if it is to remain relevant to its readers. Aims: (1) Describe the characteristics of articles published from 1985 through 2018. (2) Describe content intended to educate lactation support providers and clinicians. (3) Explore the ways the content has illustrated the growth and development of lactation knowledge, and (4) identify the reoccurring content threads consistent throughout the 34 years. Methods: A prospective mixed methods approach incorporating a quantitative content analysis and a qualitative thematic analysis was used. Frequency distributions were done on all the variables extracted from published articles ( N = 1586). The second level of analysis identified themes using an iterative and consensus approach. Results: Mirroring the growth in the lactation field, the volume of research articles published each year has increased along with the percent of research articles per issue. Research methods have become more diverse. The international scope and relevance, while always present, has been steadily increasing. Threads identified were; striving for international scope, advancing lactation education, developing a body of knowledge that informs clinical practice in lactation, and creating a centralized place for multidisciplinary research about lactation. Conclusion: The body of work published in the Journal of Human Lactation parallels the development of the lactation specialty. We have highlighted areas for improvement and possible further study.

Moving Forward Requires that we Understand our History: How is JHL Contributing?

“…Since its inception, JHL readers have been interested in the history of the lactation field. Between 1987-1996, JHL published 41 special features called Time was …), which were reprints of historical documents about infant feeding (Bamberger et al, 2019). Through the years, authors conducting historical research about lactation have published their work in JHL, but not frequently.…”

The Journal of Human Lactation: A Historical Analysis

“…Throughout Dr. Auerbach's editorship the cover of JHL consistently had a white background with green lettering and design, although it had several iterations (see Figures 1 and 2). The small 14-page booklet had become a globally recognized peer-reviewed journal by the end of 1996, publishing a total of 37 research articles by authors outside of North America and 116 articles from North American authors (Bamberger et al, 2019). Records of circulation numbers are not known for this time period.…”

“…The Journal's circulation increased from 15,129 to 17,401 ( Figure 5). Under Dr. Merewood, collectively there were 299 research articles published, 173 by North American authors and 126 by authors outside of North America (Bamberger et al, 2019).…”

“…The Journal continued to grow and evolve not only in its content, but also in format and readership. Due to her medical and social science background, many research articles published during her tenure were related to the health sciences (Bamberger et al, 2019). Dr. Auerbach added new columns: Consultant’s Corner .…”

“…. ,” a series (1987–1996) showcasing historical perspectives about infant feeding, ideologies, and culture (Bamberger et al, 2019; Lauwers, 2010). By 1994–1995, the publication of social science research had increased, contributing to almost half of the research articles submitted for each year.…”