Teuila Percival

Risk factors for preterm and small-for-gestational-age babies: a cohort from the Pacific Islands Families Study.

Aim:  To explore risk factors that are associated with preterm birth and full‐term small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) birth for a Pacific population.

Exclusive and any breast-feeding rates of Pacific infants in Auckland: data from the Pacific Islands Families First Two Years of Life Study.

OBJECTIVES To present current breast-feeding rates for Pacific infants resident in New Zealand. Reasons for the introduction of complementary liquid foods were also explored. DESIGN A longitudinal study using hospital discharge summary records and maternal home interviews undertaken at 6 weeks, 12 and 24 months postpartum. Turnbulls non-parametric survival analysis was used to model exclusive breast-feeding rates. SETTING Auckland, New Zealand. RESULTS The cohort comprised 1376 infants at 6 weeks, 1223 infants at 12 months and 1142 infants at 24 months. Exclusive breast-feeding rates at hospital discharge, 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months postpartum were 84% (95% confidence interval (CI): 80-88%), 49% (95% CI: 43-55%), 37% (95% CI: 32-42%) and 9% (95% CI: 7-11%), respectively. Significant ethnic difference existed, with Samoan mothers having higher exclusive breast-feeding rates than Tongan mothers (P = 0.002). The percentage of infants receiving any breast milk at hospital discharge, 6 weeks, 12 and 24 months was 96% (95% CI: 94-97%), 95% (95% CI: 94-96%), 31% (95% CI: 28-34%) and 15% (95% CI: 13-17%), respectively. Again ethnic differences emerged. Common reasons cited for discontinuation of exclusive breast-feeding included uncertainty of breast milk supply (56%), problems with breasts (30%) and difficulties breast-feeding in work or educational environments (26%). However, 691 (50%) mothers sought no advice about their breast-feeding concerns within the first six weeks of life. CONCLUSIONS Exclusive breast-feeding rates for Pacific infants are ethnically heterogeneous, have declined since the 1990s and fall short of the World Health Organization recommendations. The principal reasons cited for exclusive breast-feeding discontinuation echo those reported over a decade ago.

Infant care practices associated with sudden infant death syndrome : Findings from the Pacific islands families study

Aim:  To report infant care practice prevalence for known modifiable sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) risk factors among a generally disadvantaged yet low‐SIDS rate population of mothers with Pacific infants.

Non-fatal injuries among Pacific infants in Auckland: data from the Pacific Islands families first two years of life study.

Aims: Child injury is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in developed countries. While Pacific infant death rates are relatively high in New Zealand, little is known about non‐fatal injury rates. We seek to describe maternally reported injury in Pacific infants aged between 0–24 months.