Bayesian spatio-temporal analysis of breastfeeding practices in Ghana

Abstract

Breastfeeding plays an important role in the survival and well-being of young children. Though early initiation of breastfeeding has gained a considerable attention in the globe, the practice has not received the needed attention in some sub-Saharan African communities. This study considers the spatio-temporal disparities in the timing of initiation and duration of breastfeeding over a number of years in Ghana. Dataset for the study was derived from the Demographic Health Survey conducted in Ghana for the periods 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2014. We implemented a binary probit model for the initiation of breastfeeding and a discrete-time survival model for the duration of breastfeeding in a geoadditive framework and model parameters were estimated using fully Bayesian approach. Our results show that timely initiation of breastfeeding was significantly low in the Northern region in 1993 but quickly changed as from 1998 and remained so until 2014 and most regions show changes with time. Mothers living in Upper East, Northern, Brong-Ahafo and Central regions had high tendencies of early initiation of breast milk in the year 2014. Children from Greater Accra region were consistently fed with breast milk for longer period of time throughout the years considered. Mothers from urban areas, those who attained secondary or higher educational level and those having their second or higher order child are likely to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour, though the educated ones would not sustain it for long. These results will help inform policy and practice that can aid possible intervention programmes.