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Exclusive breastfeeding in Sri Lanka: problems of interpretation of reported rates
Authors: Suneth B Agampodi, Thilini C Agampodi, and Avanthi de Silva
Source: International Breastfeeding Journal , 2009, 4:14 doi:10.1186/1746-4358-4-14,
Topic(s): Breastfeeding
Country: Asia
  Sri Lanka
Published: OCT 2009
Abstract: Abstract Accurate interpretation of reported breastfeeding rates is essential in understanding the true picture of a country's breastfeeding status. In Sri Lanka, where the reported exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rate among infants aged from 0 to 5 months is 75%, accurate understanding of this rate is of the utmost importance. The danger of misinterpreting the data and assuming that Sri Lanka has achieved a high EBF rate is that health workers begin to believe that no further effort should be made in this area. This is very dangerous as the potential to further improve rates of EBF will not be addressed. We discuss the interpretation of survey data and various definitions used in the relevant literature. We strongly recommend that interpretation of EBF rates should be done only after careful evaluation of the definitions and survey methods used.
Web: http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/4/1/14