# Examining the Impact of Adverse Social Determinants of Health on Infant Feeding Practices among Black Women

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $48,974

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract:
The purpose of this individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) application is to provide the
applicant with rigorous research training to develop into an independent investigator focusing on barriers and
facilitators to healthy infant feeding practices. This award will ensure the applicant achieves competence in
establishing a conceptual understanding of the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on infant
feeding practices, develops foundational skills needed to launch an independent program of rigorous and
ethical research with groups that have been marginalized, and gains professional development skills needed to
advance in a research-focused academic setting. This training will occur in a resource-rich academic
environment with support from a world-renowned advising team ideally suited to the applicant’s topic and
training plan. This intensive research training will extend the applicant’s clinical expertise and facilitate rapid
translation of evidence into clinical practice.
There exists a racial disparity in breastfeeding rates between U.S. Black and White mother-infant dyads, with
Black dyads exhibiting significantly lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding at both three and six months of age.
Several factors have been associated with the racial disparity in breastfeeding rates. SDOH, including low
socioeconomic status (SES), early maternal return to work, poor feeding support in childcare facilities, housing
instability, food insecurity, and low-resource neighborhoods have all been cited as potential barriers to
initiating or meeting breastfeeding recommendations. Additionally, the introduction to solid foods before four
months of age and poor maternal mental health have both been associated with suboptimal breastfeeding
durations. Prior research has focused on the relationship between each risk factor and infant feeding practice
in isolation. To date, little is known about the additive effects of multiple adverse SDOH on the impact of
infant feeding practices and whether their impact is mediated by maternal mental health status or the timing
of introduction to solid foods. This NRSA application proposes to fill this gap through the following aims: 1)
identify the impact of select SDOH (SES, employment, food access, housing stability, child care support) on
breastfeeding outcomes, 2) examine if the relationship between SDOH and infant feeding practices is mediated
by maternal mental health and the timing of introduction to solid foods, and 3) investigate the impact of Black
mothers’ experiences with adverse SDOH and their perceived lactation resource availability on infant feeding
practices. This multi-methods research project will provide the applicant with training in multivariable
regression models (Aim 1), structural equation modeling (Aim 2) and grounded theory qualitative research
methods (Aim 3). This study is expected to generate critically important new knowledge about the relationship
betwee...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10998497
- **Project number:** 1F31NR021344-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Courtney N. Slater
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $48,974
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-01 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10998497

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10998497, Examining the Impact of Adverse Social Determinants of Health on Infant Feeding Practices among Black Women (1F31NR021344-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10998497. Licensed CC0.

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