Journal Club 10: Breastfeeding is Natural but Not the Cultural Norm: A Mixed-Methods Study of First-Time Breastfeeding, African American Mothers Participating in WIC

(Recorded 4/18/18)

Speaker: Julia H. Kim, MPH, RD, CLC, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Breastfeeding disparities exist in the US, with African American, adolescent mothers having the lowest breastfeeding rates. This presentation describes the process of developing, implementing and evaluating a culturally-tailored breastfeeding program on African American, adolescent mothers in Champaign County, Illinois. A breastfeeding needs assessment, process evaluation and impact evaluation will be discussed.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify a barrier to breastfeeding among African American, adolescent mothers that you did not previously know.
2. Understand the reasoning for conducting a process evaluation.
3. List one way to increase breastfeeding practices among African American, adolescent mothers

Julia H. Kim, MPH, RD, CLC, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Julia H. Kim is a fifth year PhD student at the University of Illinois in the Division of Nutritional Sciences. She is an Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program scholar. She graduated from the University of California, Davis in Clinical Nutrition, completed her dietetic internship from Napa State Hospital, and has previously worked as a dietitian in an outpatient clinic. Her main research goals are to promote breastfeeding awareness through education and community-based research.