Date of Award
1-1-2021
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Medical Doctor (MD)
Department
Medicine
First Advisor
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the social and cultural factors that influence the use of formula in two rural and indigenous communities in Central Mexico. We used a qualitative methodology based on the socioecological framework and integrative model of behavior. Interviews and focus groups were carried out with mothers, fathers, and grandparents of children two years of age or younger and healthcare providers attending to mothers and infants. We found that breastfeeding was still favored in both communities, however, many mothers viewed formula as a complement for breastfeeding. Young and first-time mothers were more likely to prefer formula for the convenience and as a solution for breast pain, insufficient milk, and body image. Healthcare providers promoted the use of formula through their own beliefs, information, communication, and conflicts of interest with formula industry representatives. The recent social and economic changes in these communities combined with the increased advertising and availability of breast milk substitutes, have facilitated the preference for formula. Women in rural, indigenous communities in Central Mexico are increasingly using formula. Efforts at the policy and institutional levels are needed to protect mothers and their children from the detrimental consequences of unregulated formula promotion and the formula culture that it brings with it.
Recommended Citation
Luna Martinez, Paulina, "“[the Pediatrician] Said That Maybe My Milk, Instead Of Doing Good, No Longer Helped”: The Ecology Of Infant Formula In Rural Communities In Central Mexico." (2021). Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library. 4016.
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ymtdl/4016
