| Learning Objective #1: Identify key issues to consider when disseminating clinical research findings to diverse members of the health care team | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe how increased knowledge about the specific needs and practices of breastfeeding women can be used to influence multidisciplinary, community-wide breastfeeding promotion and support |
Whereas breastfeeding is a public health priority, little is known about the specific breastfeeding needs and practices of Canada's growing immigrant population. A multidisciplinary, multi-method study funded by Health Canada identified several factors influencing breastfeeding rates and breastfeeding support within a predominately immigrant community in Montreal (Quebec), such as the content and sources of breastfeeding information received by new mothers; the availability of role models for breastfeeding; and the combined stressors of new parenthood and recent immigration. Funding from a peer-reviewed agency was subsequently obtained to disseminate the research findings to stakeholders. Strategies for implementing the research dissemination project included: a) identifying key target audiences from hospitals, community health settings and government agencies; b) defining learning objectives and the specific research findings to share with each target group; c) creating a variety of formats (e.g., workshops, posters sessions) for presentation of the research results, and d) evaluating the project outcomes. To enhance the impact of this dissemination project, the project workshops and presentations were devised as forums for diverse health professionals (e.g., nurses, physicians, lactation consultants) and lay breastfeeding support persons from different health care settings to exchange experiences and to brainstorm strategies for enhancing collaborative breastfeeding support. Participants in the research dissemination workshops provided high ratings of the quality and clinical relevance of the information presented. In addition, the dissemination project increased awareness of the role and contributions of breastfeeding peer support volunteers. As a key outcome of this project, a regional multidisciplinary Breastfeeding Committee with hospital and community-based representatives from Montreal's most ethnically diverse neighborhoods adopted joint priorities for improving breastfeeding promotion and support for new families, such as the establishment of consistent breastfeeding policies and the development of breastfeeding educational materials geared towards a multiethnic immigrant population.
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