ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Increasing breastfeeding is a public health priority supported by strong evidence. In 2009, New York passed Public Health Law § 2505-a, requiring that hospitals support the World Health Organization's (WHO's) recommended "Ten Steps for Successful Breastfeeding" (Ten Steps). This legislation strengthened and codified existing New York State's hospital perinatal regulations. The purpose of this study was to assess hospital policy compliance with New York laws and regulations related to breastfeeding. METHODS: In 2009, 2011, and 2013, we collected written breastfeeding policies from 129 New York hospitals that provided maternity services. A policy review tool was developed to quantify compliance with the 28 components of breastfeeding support specified in New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations and the new legislation. In 2010 and 2012, hospitals received individual feedback from the New York State Department of Health, which informed hospitals in 2012 that formal regulatory enforcement, including potential fines, would be implemented for noncompliance. RESULTS: The number of components included in hospital policies increased from a mean of 10.4 in 2009, to 16.8 in 2011, and to 27.1 in 2013) (P < .001); a greater increase occurred from 2011 through 2013 than from 2009 through 2011 (P < .001). The percentage of hospitals with fully compliant policies increased from 0% in 2009, to 5% in 2011, and to 75% in 2013 (P < .001), and the percentage that included all WHO's 10 steps increased from 0% to 9% to 87%, respectively (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Although legislation or regulations requiring certain practices are important, monitoring with enforcement accelerates, and may be necessary for, full implementation. Future research is needed to evaluate the impact of improved hospital breastfeeding policies on breastfeeding outcomes in New York.
Subject(s)
Breast Feeding , Guideline Adherence/trends , Health Plan Implementation/methods , Hospitals, Maternity/legislation & jurisprudence , Quality Assurance, Health Care/standards , Chronic Disease/prevention & control , Evidence-Based Practice , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Promotion/methods , Hospital Administrators , Hospitals, Maternity/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Mothers , New York , Organizational Policy , Patient Education as Topic , Practice Guidelines as Topic/standards , World Health OrganizationABSTRACT
The public health importance of breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding, is gaining increased recognition. Despite a strong evidence base that key hospital maternity practices (Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding) impact breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity in the hospital and breastfeeding duration post-discharge, they are not widely implemented. In 2009, written hospital breastfeeding policies were collected from all New York State (NYS) hospitals providing maternity care services (n=139). A systematic assessment of the policies found that, on average, approximately half (19/32) the components required under NYS hospital regulations were included. Inclusion of each of the Ten Steps varied from 14% to 98%. An evidence-based Model Hospital Breastfeeding Policy was developed that included required components (based on NYS hospital regulations and legislation) and recommendations from expert groups such as the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, Baby Friendly USA, Inc., and the United States Breastfeeding Committee. Improved hospital breastfeeding policies are a critical first step in improving hospital maternity care to better promote, support, and protect breastfeeding. Additional efforts throughout health care, the workplace, and the broader community will be required to make breastfeeding the norm.
