Using community conversations to understand the perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors around breastfeeding in the Hmong community in La Crosse, WI

Abstract

The United States breastfeeding initiation rate has met and exceeded goals set by the Department of Health and Human Services, where rates among the Hmong in La Crosse County, WI lag significantly behind. This research seeks to identify the breastfeeding barriers for this population by gaining a better understanding of the unique circumstances which are experienced by the Hmong people. A listening session called a World Café was held to learn from the local Hmong community and qualitative data was gathered. The Theory of Planned Behavior is used as a framework for interpretation of results, allowing the researcher to analyze the data into themes, which can be used for better understanding of the phenomena. Cultural implications for this population, such as historical context, assimilation, family structure, social supports, and health education are discussed and used to form recommendations for future practice and research.