Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26757986›Full record

ArticleSexually transmitted infections2016

"It pains me because as a woman you have to breastfeed your baby": decision-making about infant feeding among African women living with HIV in the UK.

Shema Tariq, Jonathan Elford, Pat Tookey, Jane Anderson, Annemiek de Ruiter, Rebecca O'Connell, Alexandra Pillen

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Sexually transmitted infections, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.8field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 67 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.

Shema TariqSchool of Health Sciences, City University London, London, UK Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK.
Jonathan ElfordSchool of Health Sciences, City University London, London, UK.
Pat TookeyMRC Centre of Epidemiology for Child Health, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Jane AndersonCentre for the Study of Sexual Health and HIV, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Annemiek de RuiterHarrison Wing, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Rebecca O'ConnellGreenway Centre, Newham University Hospital, London, UK.
Alexandra PillenDepartment of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK.
University College London · GBCity, University of London · GBGuy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust · GBHomerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · GBMortimer Market Centre · GBNewham University Hospital · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council G0701648
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesUK guidance advises HIV-positive women to abstain from breast feeding. Although this eliminates the risk of postnatal vertical transmission of HIV, the impact of replacement feeding on mothers is often overlooked. This qualitative study examines, for the first time in the UK, decision-making about infant feeding among African women living with HIV.

methodsBetween 2010 and 2011, we conducted semistructured interviews with 23 HIV-positive African women who were pregnant or had recently given birth. We recruited participants from three HIV antenatal clinics in London.

resultsWomen highlighted the cultural importance of breast feeding in African communities and the social pressure to breast feed, also describing fears that replacement feeding would signify their HIV status. Participants had significant concerns about physical and psychological effects of replacement feeding on their child and felt their identity as good mothers was compromised by not breast feeding. However, almost all chose to refrain from breast feeding, driven by the desire to minimise vertical transmission risk. Participants' resilience was strengthened by financial assistance with replacement feeding, examples of healthy formula-fed children and support from partners, family, peers and professionals.

conclusionsThe decision to avoid breast feeding came at considerable emotional cost to participants. Professionals should be aware of the difficulties encountered by HIV-positive women in refraining from breast feeding, especially those from migrant African communities where breast feeding is culturally normative. Appropriate financial and emotional support increases women's capacity to adhere to their infant-feeding decisions and may reduce the emotional impact.

Indexed as

Black PeopleDecision MakingGuidelines as TopicAdultBreast FeedingCultural CharacteristicsFemaleHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHIV InfectionsHumansInfantInfant, NewbornInfectious Disease Transmission, VerticalLondonMother-Child RelationsMothersAIDSCULTURAL DIFFERENCEHIV WOMENPREGNANCYQUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Identifiers

PMID26757986
PMCPMC4975819
OpenAlexW2255944888

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.