Kristen Kirksey: A Social History of Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding in the United States

Check out graduate student Kristen Kirksey's article, "A Social History of Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding in the United States," which discusses differences in breastfeeding rates in White women and Black women as well as racial disparities and the impact of public policy and social movements.

Excerpt from abstract:

"I found that the persistent racial disparities were actually comprised of three distinct types of changing racial disparities: (1) increases in racial disparities that derive from improvements for Whites not captured by Blacks (1973–1982); (2) decreases in racial disparities that stem from improvements for Whites captured even more strongly by Blacks (1995–2006); and, (3) leveling off of racial disparities (2006–2015). Placing results of this quantitative analysis within the context of public policy and social movement history, I identify three distinct mechanisms that drive the different trends in racial disparities in breastfeeding. This paper contributes to the literature on motherhood, race, and health a more nuanced understanding of the social historical mechanisms that pattern breastfeeding, and more broadly, racial disparities in health."

 

Posted by Malley, Mary in News