Strengthening health visitors’ breastfeeding support: Results from a cluster randomised study
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Cited by 4 publications
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Process evaluation of a breastfeeding support intervention to promote exclusive breastfeeding and reduce social inequity: a mixed-methods study in a cluster-randomised trial
Background Breastfeeding is a powerful public health intervention that produces long-term health benefits. However, in high-income countries such as Denmark, breastfeeding rates are suboptimal and unequally distributed across socio-economic positions. The ‘Breastfeeding – a good start together’ intervention, to promote longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding and reduce social inequity, was implemented in a cluster-randomised trial during 2022–2023 across 21 municipalities in two Danish regions. A process evaluation was conducted to assess the implementation, mechanisms of impact, and possible contextual factors affecting the intervention. Methods The study was guided by the Medical Research Council’s guidance for conducting process evaluations and employed a mixed-methods approach in a convergence design. Quantitative data: contextual mapping survey (n = 20), health visitor survey (n = 284), health visitor records from 20 clusters and intervention website statistics. Qualitative data: dialogue meetings (n = 7), focus groups (n = 3) and interviews (n = 8). Results Overall, the intervention was delivered as planned to intended recipients, with few exceptions. Health visitors responded positively to the intervention, noting that it fitted well within their usual practice and enhanced families’ chances of breastfeeding. Mothers expressed having received the intervention with few exceptions, and reacted positively to the intervention. Although health visitors were concerned about the potential stigmatisation of mothers receiving the intensified intervention, none of the interviewed mothers felt stigmatised. Contextual factors impacting the intervention implementation and mechanisms included staff and management turnover, project infrastructure and mothers’ context, such as resources, social networks and previous experiences. The overall fidelity of the intervention delivery was high. Conclusions Health visitors and families responded well to the intervention. Interventions aimed at enabling health care providers to deliver simplified and structured breastfeeding support, in alignment with support provided in other sectors of the health care system, may increase breastfeeding rates and reduce social inequity in breastfeeding, even in international contexts. Trial registration Clinical Trials: NCT05311631. First posted April 5, 2022.
Process evaluation of a breastfeeding support intervention to promote exclusive breastfeeding and reduce social inequity: a mixed-methods study in a cluster-randomised trial
Background Breastfeeding is a powerful public health intervention that produces long-term health benefits. However, in high-income countries such as Denmark, breastfeeding rates are suboptimal and unequally distributed across socio-economic positions. The ‘Breastfeeding – a good start together’ intervention, to promote longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding and reduce social inequity, was implemented in a cluster-randomised trial during 2022–2023 across 21 municipalities in two Danish regions. A process evaluation was conducted to assess the implementation, mechanisms of impact, and possible contextual factors affecting the intervention. Methods The study was guided by the Medical Research Council’s guidance for conducting process evaluations and employed a mixed-methods approach in a convergence design. Quantitative data: contextual mapping survey (n = 20), health visitor survey (n = 284), health visitor records from 20 clusters and intervention website statistics. Qualitative data: dialogue meetings (n = 7), focus groups (n = 3) and interviews (n = 8). Results Overall, the intervention was delivered as planned to intended recipients, with few exceptions. Health visitors responded positively to the intervention, noting that it fitted well within their usual practice and enhanced families’ chances of breastfeeding. Mothers expressed having received the intervention with few exceptions, and reacted positively to the intervention. Although health visitors were concerned about the potential stigmatisation of mothers receiving the intensified intervention, none of the interviewed mothers felt stigmatised. Contextual factors impacting the intervention implementation and mechanisms included staff and management turnover, project infrastructure and mothers’ context, such as resources, social networks and previous experiences. The overall fidelity of the intervention delivery was high. Conclusions Health visitors and families responded well to the intervention. Interventions aimed at enabling health care providers to deliver simplified and structured breastfeeding support, in alignment with support provided in other sectors of the health care system, may increase breastfeeding rates and reduce social inequity in breastfeeding, even in international contexts. Trial registration Clinical Trials: NCT05311631. First posted April 5, 2022.
Development of a complex intervention to strengthen municipality-based breastfeeding support to reduced social inequity in breastfeeding
Background Breastfeeding is the ideal nutrition for infants and protects infants and mothers from a range of adverse health outcomes during their lifespan. In Denmark, while the breastfeeding initiation rate is high, only 14% of mothers meet the World Health Organization’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding at six months. Furthermore, a notable social inequity exists among those who achieve this recommendation. Knowledge of effective interventions to reduce breastfeeding inequity is limited. A previous hospital-based intervention succeeded in increasing breastfeeding duration. However, most breastfeeding support is provided in Danish municipalities by health visitors. This called for adapting the intervention to the health visiting program and developing an intensified intervention addressing the social inequity in breastfeeding. This article describes the adaptation and development process of a municipality-based intervention. Methods During a 15-month period in 2020–21, the municipal intervention was iteratively developed using a three-stage framework for developing complex health interventions described by Hawkins et al. The three stages were 1) need assessment and stakeholder consultation, 2) co-production and 3) prototyping. The process was inspired by O’Cathain et al.’s principles for a user-centred, co-created and theory- and evidence-based approach, involving parents and health visitors. Results In stage 1, we identified the needs and priorities of the target groups of the intervention. In stage 2, the intervention was developed through action research design and inspired by Duus’ ‘learning cycles’ as the method to enhance motivation and ownership and to strengthen the implementation process by creating a joint room for learning and reflection with health visitors and developers. In stage 3, the intervention was tested for feasibility and usefulness during a 2.5-month period accompanied by monthly dialogue meetings with health visitors and developers. In this period, the intervention was refined based on the gathered experiences and was subsequently prepared for evaluation. Conclusion The description of the development of this complex intervention, aimed at increasing breastfeeding duration and reducing inequity, offers breastfeeding practitioners and researchers a transparent foundation for continuously improving breastfeeding support and a methodology for complex intervention development. Trial registration Registered at Clinical Trials NCT05311631. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13690-024-01401-6.
Development of a complex intervention to strengthen municipality-based breastfeeding support to reduced social inequity in breastfeeding
Background Breastfeeding is the ideal nutrition for infants and protects infants and mothers from a range of adverse health outcomes during their lifespan. In Denmark, while the breastfeeding initiation rate is high, only 14% of mothers meet the World Health Organization’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding at six months. Furthermore, a notable social inequity exists among those who achieve this recommendation. Knowledge of effective interventions to reduce breastfeeding inequity is limited. A previous hospital-based intervention succeeded in increasing breastfeeding duration. However, most breastfeeding support is provided in Danish municipalities by health visitors. This called for adapting the intervention to the health visiting program and developing an intensified intervention addressing the social inequity in breastfeeding. This article describes the adaptation and development process of the intervention ‘Breastfeeding – a good start together’. Methods During a 15-month period in 2020-21, the municipal intervention was iteratively developed using a three-stage framework for developing complex health interventions described by Hawkins et al. The three stages were 1) need assessment and stakeholder consultation, 2) co-production and 3) prototyping. The process was inspired by O’Cathain et al.’s principles for a user-centred, co-created and theory- and evidence-based approach, involving parents and health visitors. Results In stage 1, we identified the needs and priorities of the target groups of the intervention. In stage 2, the intervention was developed through action research design and inspired by Duus’ ‘learning cycles’ as the method to enhance motivation and ownership and to strengthen the implementation process by creating a joint room for learning and reflection with health visitors and developers. In stage 3, the intervention was tested for feasibility and usefulness during a 2.5-month period accompanied by monthly dialogue meetings with health visitors and developers. In this period, the intervention was refined based on the gathered experiences and was subsequently prepared for evaluation. Conclusion The description of the development of this complex intervention, aimed at increasing breastfeeding duration and reducing inequity, offers breastfeeding practitioners and researchers a transparent foundation for continuously improving breastfeeding support and a methodology for complex intervention development. Trial registration Registered at Clinical Trials NCT05311631.
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