Modelling the Association of Maternal Factors on Exclusive Breastfeeding among Ghanaian women Using Logistic Regression and Bootstrapping Techniques

Abstract

This study examines the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding among Ghanaian women and the determining factors associated with it. The study used a data set based on a longitudinal study from the fourth round of the Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS). This was a national survey conducted by Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in 2011 to monitor progress of women and children. A sample of 10,963 women within the reproductive age (15 – 49) years across the country between 2009 and 2011 were selected for the survey. In this study, a multiple logistic regression and bootstrap techniques were used to determine the relationship of household/maternal factors and exclusive breastfeeding among children. The estimated children who were never breastfed exclusively for the first three days of life was about 15.8% out of the 2838 women who gave birth within the survey period. This means that a lot of mothers do not practice exclusive breastfeeding in Ghana. The factors observed to be highly significantly associated with exclusive breastfeeding among Ghanaian women included ethnicity (p-value = 0.019) and antenatal care (p-value = 0.031). The results show that exclusive breastfeeding among more advantaged women are more predominant than less advantaged women. The findings further reveal that exclusive breastfeeding is more of an ethnic and regional problem in Ghana which has some cultural undertone. There is need for the government to encourage mothers’ secondary and above education. Massive public awareness and outreach programs need to include activities to fully engage community leaders and change agents on the dangers of failure to practice exclusive breastfeeding. Again, the ministry of Health should consider and come up with multifaceted program designs with clear, well-taught, understandable messages appropriate to the cultural context.