Religious practice, a key element to increase breastfeeding rates

Abstract

The aim of this research work is to associate maternal religiosity with the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and the age of definitive weaning of children under three years of Tumaco, Colombia. The study uses a quantitative approach, cross-sectional, non-experimental design, and descriptive-correlational type. Information was collected from 338 mothers with children under three years of age between December 2019 and March 2020. All met the inclusion criteria and signed the informed consent. The variables were measured with a 17-question questionnaire, validated (V. Aiken = 0,88, Cronbach's alpha = 0,710). After applying Spearman's Rho, a positive and significant association (p <0,05) was found between maternal religiosity and duration of exclusive breastfeeding (rho = 0,128), maternal religiosity and definitive weaning age (Rho = 0,158). In conclusion, the associations found between maternal religiosity and breastfeeding practices reflect that the religious belief system influences mothers with children under three years of age who attend a first level health facility. These results indicate that there is a need to continue with this type of studies, to extend the promotion of breastfeeding in religious spaces, strengthening the capacities of different religious groups in breastfeeding issues in order to incorporate and internalize these issues in the different congregations.