The sample for the NIS is a random digit dial survey - essentially it is administered to anyone who fits the age criteria who doesn't hang up on the interviewer, regardless of birth location or vaccination status. (the statistics are then weighted using a complex algorithm to account for non-response and other factors that make it then possible to estimate to the general population) The NIS is used to assess vaccination status of children throughout the US, thus it is very important that those children that are not vaccinated are indeed included in the survey. In other words, it is NOT true that non-vaccinated and/or homebirth children are not included in the sample, in fact they are a key part of the denominator necessary to assess vaccine prevalence. Further, the vaccination prevalence data are from an entirely separate portion of the survey, regardless of vaccination status, respondents still answer the bf items. Sadly, homebirths still only make up approximately 1% of all births annually throughout the US, though indeed there are portions of the country where it is higher. Still, even in the high homebirth areas, homebirth still only accounts for less than 5% of all births. I hope this helps at least ease your colleague's concerns. Katherine ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 09:41:11 -0500 From: Marsha Glass <[log in to unmask]> Subject: CDC Stats Valerie has questioned the accuracy of the stats from the CDC regarding breastfeeding rates. A colleague of mine here in the Hoosier state also questions it but from a different perspective. She is quite involved in the home birth movement and says that many mom who homebirth do not have their children vaccinated, or at least not on schedule. The numbers of homebirths in our state in a year are significant enough to skew those stats since most of those moms will breastfeed. They would thus not be reflected in the stats because they are not vaccinating their kids, which is where the CDC is gathering their data. Anyone else want to comment on this? My sense is that this would be true in every state, with some states having higher homebirth numbers than others, hence some states more skewed than others. Marsha, who would like to believe that our breastfeeding rates are higher (we're near the bottom on every chart!) but it's not what I'm seeing in my community. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations as all other earthly causes combined. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html