[On the groups of maternal support of breast feeding].

The article deals with the data related to the establishment in Russia of public associations of maternal support of breast feeding initiated by the WHO/UNISEF international initiative "Baby friendly hospital". The breast feeding is mostly a concern of medicine and medical institutions of obstetrics and pediatrics and corresponding specialists such as obstetrician-gynecologist, neonatologist and pediatrician. Hence the issue of appropriateness of existence of such groups, their competence and relationship with medical personnel and forms of activity has to be considered From historical point of view, in Soviet health care accumulated very rich experience of effective cooperation of public activists of Russian Red Cross with public health bodies in implementation of preventive and health improving activities, including health education of population groups. The conclusion is made that to provide effective activities of voluntary mothers? Associations to support breast feeding their interaction is needed with medical personnel, the development of scientific-grounded programs of training of mothers-consultants and informational methodical and health education materials.

[The social-and-psychological factors related to prevalence of breast feeding]. / Sotsial'no-psikhologicheskie faktory rasprostranennosti grudnogo vskarmlivaniia detei.

A comprehensive social-and-hygienic study of families with newborns was undertaken for the purpose of defining the factors influencing the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding. A special questionnaire was worked out that was addressed to 1088 families in 3 cities, i.e. Moscow, Ulyanovsk and Cherkessk. The poor and worsening parameters of breast feeding were found to result, primarily, from the shaped practice of breast feeding present in families, when the mothers are insufficiently informed on such feeding by medical personnel, family members and family friends. An analysis of the obtained data provided for outlining the actual related ways and means on how to maintain, protect and promote the breastfeeding at the regional level.

[Results of testing the basic questionnaire "SINDI" in the evaluation of prophylaxis program development]. / Rezul'taty aprobatsii bazovogo oprosnika "SINDI" po otsenke razvitia profilakticheskoi programmy.

The results are considered of testing questionnaires designed to evaluate the progress in the implementation of the complex prevention programme "CINDI". The questionnaire survey was carried out in two ways--by post and by telephone. The sample size amounted to 248 people each. The response in the questionnaire survey by post accounted for a little more than 50 percent, by telephone--about 56 percent. The survey methods were acceptable for population: there were almost no omissions, no refusals to give answers by telephone (low response rate is attributable to the absence of the interviewed). The questionnaire survey indicates that the amount of information acquired on health is not great. The main source of information is TV and other mass communication media. The most effective means of influencing the behaviour are individual recommendations of physicians but they are given very rarely (in 10-20 percent of cases). Persons aware of their risk factors are the ones who most actively perceive the information on the problem of health. The major part of the interviewed (20-50%) attempted to change their habits. The most popular attempts were made to change physical activity, the most successful--to change diet. Interviews by post and by telephone give similar results and might be recommended for assessing the development of prevention programmes.