Background: Arab women‟s breastfeeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding, are shaped by cultural and religious values and beliefs. Many studies have investigated breastfeeding practices among Arab mothers in their Arabic countries, but no published studies were identified that looked at these practices in Arab women living in the United States.
The purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore breastfeeding practices including exclusive breastfeeding among Arab women living in the United States.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 90 Arab mothers was used. Participants were recruited from the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor, MI; Islamic Institute of Knowledge, Dearborn, MI; Michigan Islamic Academy; and Entesar‟s Beauty Salon, Ann Arbor, MI.
Results: The results of this study showed low levels of exclusive breastfeeding, as well as early introduction of supplementations.
Conclusions: A health education program related to exclusive breastfeeding is needed targeting Arab mothers in the U.S.
","abstract_html":"<p>Background: Arab women‟s breastfeeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding, are shaped by cultural and religious values and beliefs. Many studies have investigated breastfeeding practices among Arab mothers in their Arabic countries, but no published studies were identified that looked at these practices in Arab women living in the United States.</p> <p>The purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore breastfeeding practices including exclusive breastfeeding among Arab women living in the United States.</p> <p>Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 90 Arab mothers was used. Participants were recruited from the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor, MI; Islamic Institute of Knowledge, Dearborn, MI; Michigan Islamic Academy; and Entesar‟s Beauty Salon, Ann Arbor, MI.</p> <p>Results: The results of this study showed low levels of exclusive breastfeeding, as well as early introduction of supplementations.</p> <p>Conclusions: A health education program related to exclusive breastfeeding is needed targeting Arab mothers in the U.S.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Saaty, Afnan H"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Health Promotion and Human Performance","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Joan Cowdery, Ph.D., Chair","Susan McCarthy, Ph.D.","Christine Karshin, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:36Z","subjects":["Arab women","breastfeeding","Medicine and Health Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/287","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Joan Cowdery, Ph.D., Chair","Susan McCarthy, Ph.D.","Christine Karshin, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Saaty, Afnan H"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2010-11-18T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Health Promotion and Human Performance"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Arab women","breastfeeding","Medicine and Health Sciences"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/287"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background: Arab women‟s breastfeeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding, are shaped by cultural and religious values and beliefs. Many studies have investigated breastfeeding practices among Arab mothers in their Arabic countries, but no published studies were identified that looked at these practices in Arab women living in the United States.
The purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore breastfeeding practices including exclusive breastfeeding among Arab women living in the United States.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 90 Arab mothers was used. Participants were recruited from the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor, MI; Islamic Institute of Knowledge, Dearborn, MI; Michigan Islamic Academy; and Entesar‟s Beauty Salon, Ann Arbor, MI.
Results: The results of this study showed low levels of exclusive breastfeeding, as well as early introduction of supplementations.
Conclusions: A health education program related to exclusive breastfeeding is needed targeting Arab mothers in the U.S.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Breastfeeding practices among Arab women living in the United States"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Joan Cowdery, Ph.D., Chair","Susan McCarthy, Ph.D.","Christine Karshin, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Saaty, Afnan H"],"dc:date.available":["2010-11-18T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Background: Arab women‟s breastfeeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding, are shaped by cultural and religious values and beliefs. Many studies have investigated breastfeeding practices among Arab mothers in their Arabic countries, but no published studies were identified that looked at these practices in Arab women living in the United States.
The purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore breastfeeding practices including exclusive breastfeeding among Arab women living in the United States.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 90 Arab mothers was used. Participants were recruited from the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor, MI; Islamic Institute of Knowledge, Dearborn, MI; Michigan Islamic Academy; and Entesar‟s Beauty Salon, Ann Arbor, MI.
Results: The results of this study showed low levels of exclusive breastfeeding, as well as early introduction of supplementations.
Conclusions: A health education program related to exclusive breastfeeding is needed targeting Arab mothers in the U.S.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/287"],"dc:subject":["Arab women","breastfeeding","Medicine and Health Sciences"],"dc:title":["Breastfeeding practices among Arab women living in the United States"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Health Promotion and Human Performance"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:36Z"}