Abstract B60: Racial/ethnic differences in pregnant women's knowledge of the relationship between breast cancer risk and breastfeeding
Authors: Sly Jamilia , Miller Sarah , Sperling Rhoda , Sasan Fahimeh , Loudon Holly , Howell Elizabeth , Jandorf Lina 
Published: May 2016

Objectives: Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer, particularly triple negative breast cancer. Yet black women, who are at greater risk of developing triple negative breast cancer, are the least likely racial group to breastfeed. Little is known about black women's knowledge of the link between breast cancer and breastfeeding. Given the link between BC and breastfeeding, among other benefits to breastfeeding, it is critical to understand why black women are the least likely racial group to breastfeed. The current study was designed to describe pregnant women's knowledge of the breastfeeding and breast cancer link and other psychosocial variables among three racial/ethnic groups (black, white and Hispanic). It is hypothesized that pregnant black women will have lower knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding, including knowledge about the link between breastfeeding and breast cancer than either white or Hispanic women. It is further hypothesized that, compared to other racial groups, black women will have lower intentions to breastfeed, poorer attitudes toward breastfeeding, lower self-efficacy, and lower levels of social influence/support to breastfeed. Methods: This research study was Institutional Review Board-approved and conducted in accordance with prevailing ethical principles. Pregnant women 18 years or older (N=93; 48.4% black; 28.0% Hispanic) were recruited during a prenatal visit at the OB/GYN practice of an urban hospital. The practice primarily serves underinsured women. The one-time, anonymous self-report survey was comprised of questions that captured each participant's socio-demographic information such as age, race/ethnicity, education level and income as well as their breastfeeding knowledge, intentions, attitudes, and social influences (i.e., baby's father, maternal/paternal grandmother opinion and preference for infant feeding). Results: Less than 40% of both black and white women were aware of the relationship between breastfeeding and breast cancer risk reduction, in comparison to 64.7% of Hispanic women. The opinions of the baby's father and their doctor about breastfeeding were regarded the most important to black women. Contrary to our hypotheses, all women reported high intentions to breastfeed but most women indicated that they intended to breastfeed for less than 12 months. Black women also had the highest levels of positive breastfeeding attitudes and self-efficacy. Conclusions: The benefits of breastfeeding for long-term maternal health such as reduced risk of BC, including triple negative breast cancer in black women, have been documented in the literature; yet black women are least likely to breastfeed. The current study demonstrates that women have low knowledge about the link between BC and breastfeeding, particularly black and white women. These findings support the need for targeted interventions educating black women about the protective benefits of breastfeeding, particularly breast health, as a strategy to reduce their incidence and mortality of breast cancer. Despite our hypotheses, black women had higher rates of self-efficacy, breastfeeding attitudes, breastfeed intent, and medical mistrust. Future research efforts need to further explore why black women have the lowest breastfeeding rates, yet high rates of intentions, self-efficacy and attitudes about breastfeeding.

Citation Format: Jamilia Sly, Sarah Miller, Rhoda Sperling, Fahimeh Sasan, Holly Loudon, Elizabeth Howell, Lina Jandorf. Racial/ethnic differences in pregnant women's knowledge of the relationship between breast cancer risk and breastfeeding. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B60.