Established Evidence Results

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): COMMUNITY, Television Media, Other Media, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS

Intervention Description: This study sought to determine whether a mass media campaign conducted in Victoria, Australia, in 2005 was effective in encouraging women across all socio-economic status (SES) groups to screen.

Intervention Results: Cervical screening increased 27% during the campaign period and was equally effective in encouraging screening across all SES groups, including low-SES women.

Conclusion: Mass media campaigns can prompt increased rates of cervical screening among all women, not just those from more advantaged areas. Combining media with additional strategies targeted at low-SES women may help lessen the underlying differences in screening rates across SES.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Victoria

Population of Focus: Women with no history of hysterectomy

Data Source: Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry

Sample Size: Approximate total (N≈1,421,390)4

Age Range: 18-69

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Media, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: This study investigates the experiences of women using a social media Facebook group for breastfeeding support and attempts to explore whether it has aided in extended breastfeeding success. In addition, it aims to explore the value of social cognitive theory (SCT) in explaining these experiences. Qualitativ, audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews were conducted from eight women who were members of a private Facebook group.

Intervention Results: A number of themes were identified from the women's experiences, with analysis uncovering the superordinate theme 'increased self-efficacy' which provided an understanding of how the group impacted women's experiences and aided them in breastfeeding success. The sub-themes of education, accessibility, online community, normalization, and extended goals provided a more detailed understanding of how self-efficacy was increased through group membership.

Conclusion: The symbiotic relationship between members of a social media group facilitates greater breastfeeding success and a longer duration of breastfeeding through the central concept of the SCT: reciprocal determinism. Therefore, it is posited that the SCT is a suitable theory of behaviour change which can potentially be used to develop interventions aiming to increase breastfeeding rates and duration.

Study Design: Qualitative study (exploratory, deductive approach)

Setting: Social media platform: Private Facebook group

Population of Focus: Women who were members of a private Facebook group

Sample Size: 8 women

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): COMMUNITY, Other Media, Community Events, Television Media, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS

Intervention Description: The project explored the potential of historically black medical schools to deliver health information to their local communities and used a community-based participatory research approach.

Intervention Results: Significant difference in Pap smear rates between Nashville (intervention) vs Chattanooga (control; 8% effect difference, p≤.01) but not between Atlanta (intervention) vs Decatur (control). Pooled results are not given.

Conclusion: This community intervention trial demonstrated modest success and are encouraging for future efforts of longer duration.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group

Setting: Nashville, TN; Atlanta, GA; Chattanooga, TN; and Decatur, GA

Population of Focus: Women living in predominantly black census tracts in the intervention cities

Data Source: Telephone interview

Sample Size: Baseline(n=4,053) Intervention (n=1,954); Control (n=2,099) Follow-up (n=3,914) Intervention (n=1,959); Control (n=1,955)

Age Range: ≥18

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Social Media, Other Media, Mass Media, NATIONAL, COMMUNITY

Intervention Description: To examine whether exposure to safe sleep recommendations using a blog format changed infant sleep practices.

Intervention Results: The average infant age (n = 1500) was 6.6 months (Standard Deviation 3.3). Most participants (74%) were female; 77% were married; 65% identified as white Non-Hispanic, 12% were black and 17% were Hispanic. 47% (n = 711) completed both surveys. We identified no differences in the odds of any of the four safe sleep practices after exposure to safe sleep recommendations in blog post format.

Conclusion: Although in-person advice has been associated with improved safe sleep practices, we did not identify changes in infant sleep practices after exposure to safe sleep advice using blog posts.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Media, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: The support offered to mothers after hospital discharge can be decisive in maintaining exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months post-partum. The objective of this study was to assess the impact on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding of a participatory intervention using an online social network--Facebook. A randomized clinical trial was performed involving 251 mother–child pairings in a university hospital in the Northeast of Brazil, 123 of which assigned to the intervention group and 128 to the control group. After hospital discharge, the intervention group was followed through a closed group of an online social network, where weekly posters were published on topics related to breastfeeding and an active communication was established with the mothers. The groups were interviewed monthly over the phone until the child reached 6 months of age.

Intervention Results: The exclusive breastfeeding frequencies were higher in the intervention group in all follow-up months, reaching 33.3% in the sixth month versus 8.3% in the control group. The median exclusive breastfeeding duration was 149 days (95% CI [129.6, 168.4]) in the intervention group and 86 days (95% CI [64.9, 107.1]) in the control group (P < 0.0001). The proportional risk of early interruption of exclusive breastfeeding was 0.38 (95% CI [0.28, 0.51], P < 0.0001).

Conclusion: This intervention had a positive impact on the duration and frequency of exclusive breastfeeding.

Study Design: Single-blind, RCT

Setting: Social media platform: Facebook

Population of Focus: Mother-child pairings assisted in the maternity ward of a Baby-Friendly Hospital who used Facebook

Sample Size: 251 mother-child pairings

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Supports, Social Media

Intervention Description: In the United States, there are lower rates of breastfeeding among African American mothers, particularly those who are younger women. Recent epidemiological studies have shown a strong association of more aggressive types of breast cancer (estrogen receptor negative) among African American women, with a higher risk in African American women who did not breastfeed their children. This study aims to describe the process evaluation of recruitment and educational strategies to engage pregnant African American participants for a pilot study designed to determine whether social media messaging about breast cancer risk reduction through breastfeeding may positively influence breastfeeding rates.

Intervention Results: More than 3000 text messages were sent and received through WIC e-blasts and keyword responses from flyers. A total of 472 women were recruited through WIC e-blast, and 161 responded to flyers and contacts through the local health care network, community-based organizations, Facebook, and friend referrals. A total of 633 women were assessed for eligibility to participate in the study. A total of 288 pregnant African American women were enrolled, consented, and completed presurvey assessments (102.8% of the goal), and 22 participants attended focus groups or interviews reporting on their experiences with Facebook and the educational messages.

Conclusion: This process evaluation suggests that using electronic, smartphone apps with social media holds promise for both recruitment and conduct of health education intervention studies for pregnant African American women. Providing messaging and resources through social media to reinforce and educate women about breastfeeding and potentially provide lactation support is intriguing. Convenience (for researchers and participants) is an attribute of social media for this demographic of women and worthy of further research as an educational tool.

Study Design: Process evaluation

Setting: Social media platform: Facebook

Population of Focus: Pregnant African American women recruited through WIC

Sample Size: 472 women

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Other Person-to-Person Education, Television Media, COMMUNITY, PATIENT/CONSUMER, Other Media, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS

Intervention Description: To test the effectiveness of a community intervention program to promote breast and cervical cancer screening.

Intervention Results: There were higher Pap smear completion rates for women under 40 years of age in the intervention community.

Conclusion: Although it is important to address the cultural needs of all Mexican American women, it is also important to understand the tangible environmental barriers faced by the older women.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group

Setting: Predominantly Mexican American neighborhoods in San Antonio and Houston, TX

Population of Focus: Mexican American women

Data Source: Self-report through personal interviews

Sample Size: Baseline (n=1,776) Intervention (n=882); Control (n=894) First Panel Follow-up (n=296) Intervention (n=153); Control (n=143) Second Panel Follow-up (n=145) Intervention (n=70); Control (n=75)

Age Range: ≥18

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT/CONSUMER, Educational Material, Community-Based Group Education, Other Media, COMMUNITY, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS

Intervention Description: Evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on four domains of health care utilization and cervical cancer prevention and screening in a Hispanic population.

Intervention Results: Educational interventions designed to meet the needs identified by the sample group led to an increase in HPV awareness throughout the entire population surveyed and an increase in health care service utilization and HPV vaccine acceptance for women living in the US for <5 years.

Conclusion: These tools should be promoted to reduce the cervical cancer burden on vulnerable populations.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Boston, MA

Population of Focus: Hispanic women in the Boston area

Data Source: Written survey in English or Spanish

Sample Size: Baseline (n=318) Follow-up (n=295)

Age Range: ≥18

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Media, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: Alongside increasing social media use worldwide, there is an expanding research focus on how social media use affects health behaviours, decisions and perceptions. The objective of this study was to systematically determine if and how breastfeeding is promoted and supported on the popular social media platform Instagram, which currently has over 700 million active users worldwide. To assess how Instagram is used to depict and portray breastfeeding, and how users share perspectives and information about this topic, we analysed 4,089 images and 8,331 corresponding comments posted with popular breastfeeding-related hashtags (#breastfeeding, #breastmilk, #breastisbest, and #normalizebreastfeeding).

Intervention Results: We found that Instagram is being mobilized by users to publicly display and share diverse breastfeeding-related content and to create supportive networks that allow new mothers to share experiences, build confidence, and address challenges related to breastfeeding. Discussions were overwhelmingly positive and often highly personal, with virtually no antagonistic content. Very little educational content was found, contrasted by frequent depiction and discussion of commercial products.

Conclusion: Instagram is currently used by breastfeeding mothers to create supportive networks and could potentially offer new avenues and opportunities to "normalize," protect, promote, and support breastfeeding more broadly across its large and diverse global online community.

Study Design: Qualitative study

Setting: Social media platform: Instgram

Population of Focus: Active Instagram users who shared perspectives and information about breastfeeding with popular breastfeeding-related hashtags

Sample Size: 4,089 images and 8,331 corresponding comments

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): COMMUNITY, Television Media, Other Media, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS

Intervention Description: The mass media has been shown to be effective at improving participation in cervical screening. A 2007 television advertising campaign to promote cervical screening in New South Wales (NSW) was examined.

Intervention Results: Significant increase in mean number of screens per week in intervention period than same period in previous year (17% difference, t-value=3.84)

Conclusion: Despite the ecological nature of this study, the mass media campaign appears to have been successful in increasing screening in unscreened and underscreened women in NSW.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest design

Setting: New South Wales

Population of Focus: Women in New South Wales

Data Source: New South Wales Pap Test Register

Sample Size: Approximate total (N≈27,100) 2006 (n=12,284) 2007 (n=14,816) N=mean Pap smears per week

Age Range: 20-69

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Media, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: The importance of support to breastfeeding success is well established, as are the difficulties many mothers face in accessing the support they need. With the majority of UK mothers now accessing social media for support, Breastfeeding Support Facebook (BSF) groups have increased exponentially. BSF groups vary in type (local or national/international) and in moderation—overseen by breastfeeding mothers and by midwives or trained lactation specialists. Some groups aimed at supporting mothers in a specific geographical area also have associated face-to-face groups, facilitated as either professional or peer support. Little is currently known about these specific local groups, their prevalence, impact or value to mothers. This paper examines mothers' experiences of using local BSF groups and why they value them as part of a larger study exploring the impact of midwife moderation on these groups. An online survey consisting of open and closed questions was completed by 2028 mothers.

Intervention Results: Findings identified that local BSF groups are widely used and highly valued for their connection with local face-to-face services and other mothers. They offer access to expertise and shared experience in a format mothers find convenient and timely, improving confidence and self-efficacy. Local BSF groups enable the formation of support networks and development of breastfeeding knowledge that mothers credit with increased well-being, motivation and breastfeeding duration. As such, they have the potential to add value to local face-to-face services and improve breastfeeding experiences and knowledge in communities.

Conclusion: The findings have important implications to support the development of integrated online interventions to improve public health.

Study Design: Qualitative study

Setting: Social media platform: Breastfeeding Support Facebook groups

Population of Focus: Mothers in the UK using local Breastfeeding Support Facebook groups

Sample Size: 2028 mothers

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT/CONSUMER, Educational Material, Community-Based Group Education, Enabling Services, Other Media, COMMUNITY, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS

Intervention Description: A 48-month community intervention was conducted to improve breast and cervical cancer (BCC) screening among Korean American (KA) women in Alameda County (AL), California. KA women in Santa Clara (SC) County, California served as a comparison group.

Intervention Results: After adjusting for all covariates, no significant difference in Pap smear rates between intervention and comparison counties.

Conclusion: Although our overall intervention did not appear to enhance screening practices at the community-level, attendance at a women's health workshop appears to have increased cervical cancer screening.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group

Setting: Alameda County and Santa Clara County, CA

Population of Focus: Korean American women

Data Source: Telephone survey

Sample Size: Total (N=2,176) Baseline (n=1,093); Follow-up (n=1,083) Analysis (participated in baseline or follow-up) (n=1,902) Baseline (n=818) Intervention (n=404); Control (n=414) Follow-up (n=1,084) Intervention (n=418); Control (n=458)

Age Range: ≥18

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Media, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: To date, most breastfeeding research on social media only focuses on content analysis, and there remains limited knowledge about the social networks of online communities (who interacts with whom), influencers in the breastfeeding space and the diffusion of evidence-based knowledge. This study, grounded in social network theory, aims to better understand the breastfeeding communication landscape on Twitter including determining the presence of a breastfeeding network, communities and key influencers. Further, we characterize influencer interactions, roles and the content being shared.

Intervention Results: The study revealed an overall breastfeeding social network of 3,798 unique individuals (users) and 3,972 tweets with commonly used hashtags (e.g., #breastfeeding and #normalizebreastfeeding). Around one third of users (n = 1,324, 34%) exchanged pornographic content (PC) that sexualized breastfeeding. The non-PC network (n = 2,474 users) formed 144 unique communities, and content flowing within the network was disproportionately influenced by 59 key influencers. However, these influencers had mostly inward-oriented interaction (% composition, E-I index: 47% professionals, -0.18; 41% interested citizens, -0.67; 12% companies, -0.18), limiting opportunities for evidence-based dissemination to the lay public.

Conclusion: Although more tweets about peer-reviewed research findings were sent compared with tweets about nonevidence-based lay recommendations, our findings suggest that it is the lay public who often communicated findings, which may be overcome through a targeted social network-based intervention.

Study Design: Outcome evaluation

Setting: Social media platform: Twitter

Population of Focus: Influencers in the breastfeeding space on Twitter

Sample Size: 3,798 unique individuals (users), 3,962 tweets

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Media, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: As recently highlighted by the National Academy of Sciences, there is a need for the scientific community (SC) to diffuse its findings to the public more effectively online, as means to counteract the spread of misinformation. In response to this call, we gathered data from Twitter for one month from major breastfeeding hashtags resulting in an interconnected social network (n = 3,798 users). We then identified 59 influencers who disproportionately influenced information flow using social network analysis. These influencers were from the SC (e.g. academics, researchers, health care practitioners), as well as interested citizens (IC) and companies. We then conducted an ego-network analysis of influencer networks, developed ego maps, and compared diffusion metrics across the SC, IC and company influencers. We also qualitatively analyzed their tweets (n = 711) to understand the type of information being diffused.

Intervention Results: Content analysis of tweets suggest IC are more active than the SC in diffusing evidence-based breastfeeding knowledge, with 35% of their tweets around recent research findings compared to only 12% by the SC. Nonetheless, in terms of outreach to the general public, the two-step networks of SC influences were more heterogenous than ICs (55.7 ± 5.07, 50.9 ± 12.0, respectively, P<0.001).

Conclusion: Collectively, these findings suggest SC influencers may possess latent potential to diffuse research and evidence- based practices. However, the research suggests specific ways to enhance diffusion.

Study Design: Outcome evaluation

Setting: Social media platform: Twitter

Population of Focus: Influencers from the scientific community using major breastfeeding hashtags on Twitter for a month

Sample Size: 59 influencers, 711 tweets

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT/CONSUMER, Educational Material, Community-Based Group Education, Patient Navigation, Enabling Services, PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Reminder/Recall Systems, Provider Education, Designated Clinic/Extended Hours, Female Provider, COMMUNITY, Television Media, Other Media, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS

Intervention Description: Development and implementation of a multifaceted intervention using community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology and evaluated with a quasi-experimental controlled design with cross-sectional pre-intervention (2000) and post-intervention (2004) telephone surveys. Data were analyzed in 2005.

Intervention Results: Significantly greater odds of Pap smear for women in intervention county than in control county (OR=2.02, 95% CI: 1.37-2.99)

Conclusion: A multifaceted community-based participatory research (CBPR) intervention was associated with increased Pap test receipt among Vietnamese-American women in one community.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group

Setting: Santa Clara County, CA and Harris County, TX

Population of Focus: Vietnamese women living in either county

Data Source: Computer-assisted telephone interviewing system

Sample Size: Baseline(n=1,566) Intervention (n=798); Control (n=768) Follow-up (n=2,009) Intervention (n=1,004); Control (n=1,005)

Age Range: ≥18

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Community-Based Group Education, COMMUNITY, Other Media

Intervention Description: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of translating films, and whether the use of narrative is an effective vehicle for producing changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding cervical cancer compared with a nonnarrative film. A randomized controlled telephone trial surveyed the effectiveness of two films our team produced among a sample of 300 monolingual Spanish-speaking women, ages 25 to 45, who were of Mexican origin. Participants were recruited using random digit dialing (RDD) procedures from 2013 to 2014 in Los Angeles County and were randomly selected to view either a narrative or nonnarrative film. Data were collected by phone at baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 months after viewing. On average, participants arrived in the USA 25 years ago. The majority reported having less than high school education and limited English proficiency.

Intervention Results: Compared with their nonnarrative counterparts, women who received the cervical cancer–related information in the narrative film showed a significantly greater increase in new knowledge (p = 0.01) and in supportive attitudes about Pap tests expense (p = 0.05). Importantly, at 6 months, although not statistically significant, women who viewed the narrative film were also more likely to have had or scheduled a Pap test (62% vs 42%).

Conclusion: Narratives are a useful and underutilized tool to communicate information about cancer prevention. These findings have important implications for the delivery of health education among Spanish-speaking, low-literacy immigrant women, and for the reduction of cancer-related disparities.

Setting: Los Angeles county, CA

Population of Focus: monolingual Spanish-speaking women, ages 25 to 45, who were of Mexican origin.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Media, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: Social media crosses socioeconomic and geographic lines and can inform and empower people, increase communication speed, and mobilize partnerships. Through the dissemination of standardized messages and graphics, social media can be optimized for the delivery of evidence-based nutrition information. In 2014, the USDA launched a mobile-responsive Web site to assist WIC staff in engaging participants and community partners. Resources included posters, brochures, videos, widgets, graphics, and BF peer counseling training. Recognizing the opportunity for spreading messages via social media, the Web site was enhanced with the addition of a social media toolkit for World Breastfeeding Week/National Breastfeeding Month (August, 2016). The goal of the project was to create sample graphics and messages based on the campaign that could be used by WIC agencies and partners to reach participants, eligible participants, and the public. Messages were developed using content from the Loving Support campaign materials and Loving Support Peer Counseling Training. Agencies were encouraged to link to the Loving Support Web site and use the hashtag #WICLovingSupport in their posts. Agencies could also customize the messages and graphics as needed to promote their own activities and events. The toolkit included Facebook covers and posts, Twitter headers and posts, a Twibbon, an Instagram post, and an e-card. A guide to using the toolkit with sample messages was created as well. The Figure shows sample images and messages.

Intervention Results: The toolkit was launched on July 12, 2016 and received 4,319 page views by the end of August. Overall there were 9,432 downloads of all Loving Support materials and 29,745 page views to the Loving Support Web site. This was a 50% increase in page views and a 17% increase in downloads over the previous month, before the launch of the toolkit. Use of the toolkit continued since August with 1,507 page views between August, 2016 and February, 2017. The number of users for that same period was 5,007 (new and returning users). There were 2,342 downloads of social media graphics, with Facebook covers and posts, the e-card, and Instagram posts as the most downloaded items. The Twibbon campaign had 36 supporters. A TweetReach snapshot report from August 2 to August 6 (during World Breastfeeding Week) showed that the hashtag #WICLovingSupport had 60 tweets from 40 contributors, 287,820 accounts reached (the number of people who likely saw content), and 362,607 impressions (the number of times people likely reached).

Conclusion: Translating policy and guidance into action-oriented messages that WIC agencies can easily use and disseminate can increase the exposure of evidence-based nutrition messages. Although it is a relatively low-cost communication strategy, social media involves a high cost in time and attention needed to maintain an active presence.8 By providing a ready-to-go social media toolkit, the Food and Nutrition Service was able to offer consistent messaging, but it also reduced WIC staff workload and reached many people with information about BF promotion and support.

Study Design: Program evaluation

Setting: Social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Population of Focus: WIC staff

Sample Size: 5,007 new and returning users

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT/CONSUMER, Other Person-to-Person Education, Enabling Services, Other Media, Community Events, COMMUNITY, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS

Intervention Description: In a randomized controlled trial of 20 communities, the study examined whether a comprehensive intervention influenced cancer screening behaviors and lifestyle practices in rural communities in Eastern Washington State. Cross-sectional surveys at baseline and post-intervention included interviews with a random sample of approximately 100 households per community. The interview included questions on ever use and recent use of Pap test, mammogram, and fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy, fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking practices.

Intervention Results: The study found few significant changes in use of screening services for cervical (Pap test), breast (mammogram) or colorectal cancer (fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy) between intervention and control communities. Results showed no significant differences in fruit and vegetable consumption nor in smoking prevalence between the two groups. We found more awareness of and participation in intervention activities in the treatment communities than the control communities.

Conclusion: Our null findings might be attributable to the low dose of the intervention, a cohort effect, or contamination of the effect in non-intervention communities. Further research to identify effective strategies to improve cancer prevention lifestyle behaviors and screening practices are needed.

Study Design: Cluster RCT

Setting: Twenty communities in the Lower Yakima Valley of WA

Population of Focus: Women

Data Source: Self-report through personal interviews

Sample Size: Total (N=1,962) Analysis (n=1,851) Intervention (n=894); Control (n=957)

Age Range: ≥18

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Materials, Other Education, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Media, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: Many women do not have adequate and consistent social support to help them deal with breastfeeding difficulties at home after childbirth. Millennial women (those born between 1980 and 1999) have a significant presence online, making internet-based sources of breastfeeding support a potentially far-reaching, cost-effective, and convenient innovation. Social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, GooglePlus+, Tumblr, and Instagram) are internet-based applications that enable the creation and exchange of user-generated content that may provide an avenue of social support. Social media breastfeeding support groups (SMBSGs) provide a cost-efficient, immediate approach to gaining social support and education from vast populations with various sociodemographics. Using 17 SMBSGs, the study team explored the variables that lead to sustained, exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months for breastfeeding millennial women who follow SMBSGs.

Intervention Results: Using structural equation modeling, I examined relationships among personal factors; competing situational demands; social support; and confidence in, knowledge of, attitude toward, and sustainability of breastfeeding. Age, education, and competing work and family demands were all predictive of social support. Breastfeeding social support had a direct effect on participants’ breastfeeding confidence, knowledge, and attitudes (F = 4.96, R2 = .07, p < .002). Furthermore, within SMBSGs, exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months was reported to be three times (66%) greater than the U.S. national average (22%).

Conclusion: Interventions aimed at providing women with resources to gain breastfeeding social support, such as SMBSGs, may be vehicles to improve women’s confidence, knowledge, and attitudes and, therefore, increase the potential for exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months.

Study Design: Repeated measures, longitudinal, mixed-methods

Setting: Online social media support groups across 21 countries

Population of Focus: Convenience sample of exclusively breastfeeding millenial women who followed at least one of 17 social media breastfeeding support groups

Sample Size: 241 women

Age Range: Women 18 years and older