LIFT: A community-centered intervention to improve infant feeding practices among Pakistani and Bangladeshi families living in the UK
Funder
Medical Research Council
Collaborators
Foleshill Women's Training Ltd (FWT)
Project team
Dr Naomi Bartle, Principal Investigator, Psychologist, Coventry University
Professor Katherine Brown, Co-Investigator, Health Psychologist, Coventry University
Professor Jacqueline Blissett, Co-investigator, Psychologist, Aston University
Dr Kubra Choudhry, Lecturer in Psychology, Coventry University
Dr Maxine Sharps, Research Associate, Coventry University
Kayleigh Kwah, Research Assistant, Coventry University
Lauren Schumacher, Research Assistant, Coventry University
Project objectives
The primary aim of the this early-phase research is to develop a novel, culturally specific and acceptable intervention to promote optimal infant feeding practices amongst Pakistani and Bangladeshi families living in the UK. The first objective is to ensure that the intervention meets the needs of the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, i.e. is acceptable to them, sensitive to cultural and religious beliefs or values and delivered in a way that is easily accessed by them. The second objective is to enable community and healthcare practitioners to provide culturally sensitive and evidence based information and support to families about infant feeding and to facilitate behaviour change within the communities. The third objective is to describe and disseminate the intervention so that community or health practitioners could apply the methodology to other communities in their local areas.
Impact statement
Earlier research revealed that Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities living in the UK may be more vulnerable to lower breastfeeding rates than previously thought. We also found that infant feeding behaviours are influenced by cultural beliefs and practices, so that improving infant feeding outcomes requires culturally sensitive research. With support from our collaborators, we have built trust with the local communities and are working with them to create resources to influence infant feeding practices and improve infant and maternal health.
