On Friday 20 September 2002 10:02 am, Automatic digest processor wrote:
> And I believe it also said that most babies received bottles of
> formula in hospital, but they didn't consider that significant!!
> Contrast Wendy Oddy's study done here in Western Australia where the
> *introduction* of formula before 4 months was the thing that
> increased the risk. In this NZ study, it is no wonder there were high
> rates of asthma and allergies - nearly *all* their babies were
> introduced to formula within the first few days of life!

I'm looking forward to getting my eyes on the entire article to find out
exactly what confounding factors they did and did not control for.

I'm already learning the hard way as I complete my master's thesis what
can happen when you don't control for confounding factors.  I am looking
at breastfeeding-related hospital policies and practices in Florida and
surveyed both unit managers for policy information and staff nurses for
practice data.  One of the demographics I collected on the staff nurses
was whether or not they breastfed at least one child.  (I'm sure you can
see where I'm going right now.)  I did not, however, request information
on whether they were successful or not and whether they considered
breastfeeding a positive experience.  I also realized later it would
have been fascinating to have determined by birth order whether they
breastfed and what kind of experience they had.  What that means for me
is that I will not be able to make a meaningful inference as to whether
breastfeeding experience correlates with attitude toward breastfeeding
or any of the practices I was examining.  In some ways it is a painful
lesson, but it is also a limitation that will have to be mentioned....
and also food for future research for another grad student....
especially if I find a link between attitude and any of the practices.



--
Elisa H. Casey, RN, BSN; MSN Candidate
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