Promoting safe infant feeding practices - the importance of structural, social and contextual factors in Southern Africa Commentary

作者：Lazarus Ray^*; Struthers Helen; Violari Avy

来源：Journal of the International AIDS Society, 2013, 16(1): 18037.

DOI：10.7448/IAS.16.1.18037

• infant feeding
• guidelines
• prevention
• vertical transmission of HIV
• exclusive breastfeeding
• formula feeding
• mixed feeding
• counselling
• community engagement

There has been significant progress towards the goal of eliminating vertical transmission of HIV by 2015. However, a question that remains is how we can most effectively prevent late postnatal transmission of HIV through infant feeding. Guidelines published by the World Health Organization in 2010 have been widely adopted. These guidelines place strong emphasis on exclusive breastfeeding, in some countries over-turning a prior emphasis on formula feeding. Where available, provision of antiretroviral treatment for HIV-positive mothers or prophylaxis for infants offers additional protection against vertical transmission through infant feeding. However, merely changing guidelines is not sufficient to change practice, particularly with regard to culturally sanctioned forms of feeding, such as mixed feeding. This commentary highlights structural, social and contextual barriers to effective implementation of the guidelines and suggests ways to address some of these barriers.

• 出版日期2013-2-7