A professional association journal should reflect the needs of its organization, its readers, and the field it represents. Evaluating the needs that the Journal of Human Lactation has met, and those it has not, is essential if it is to remain relevant to its readers.
Aims:
(1) Describe the characteristics of articles published from 1985 through 2018. (2) Describe content intended to educate lactation support providers and clinicians. (3) Explore the ways the content has illustrated the growth and development of lactation knowledge, and (4) identify the reoccurring content threads consistent throughout the 34 years.
Methods:
A prospective mixed methods approach incorporating a quantitative content analysis and a qualitative thematic analysis was used. Frequency distributions were done on all the variables extracted from published articles (N = 1586). The second level of analysis identified themes using an iterative and consensus approach.
Results:
Mirroring the growth in the lactation field, the volume of research articles published each year has increased along with the percent of research articles per issue. Research methods have become more diverse. The international scope and relevance, while always present, has been steadily increasing. Threads identified were; striving for international scope, advancing lactation education, developing a body of knowledge that informs clinical practice in lactation, and creating a centralized place for multidisciplinary research about lactation.
Conclusion:
The body of work published in the Journal of Human Lactation parallels the development of the lactation specialty. We have highlighted areas for improvement and possible further study.
AjzenI. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. doi:10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020
2.
AlbertJ. B.Heinrichs-BreenJ.BelmonteF. W. (2017). Development and evaluation of a lactation rotation for a pediatric residency program. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(3), 748–756.
3.
ArmstrongH. C. (1987). Breastfeeding low birth weight babies: Advances in Kenya. Journal of Human Lactation, 3(2), 34–37.
4.
AsquithM. T. (1986). International milk banks. Journal of Human Lactation, 1(4), 76–79.
5.
BaiY. K.DinourL. M. (2017). Validation of a Theory of Planned Behavior-Based Questionnaire to examine factors associated with milk expression. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(4), 658–665.
6.
BaiY. K.LeeS.OvergaardK. (2019). Critical review of the theory use in breastfeeding interventions. Journal of Human Lactation, 35(3), 478–500. doi:10.1177/0890334419850822
7.
BanduraA. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191.
8.
BanduraA. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
9.
BarbosaC. E.MashoS. W.CarlyleK. E.MaosavelM. (2016). Factors distinguishing positive deviance among low-income African American women: A qualitative study on infant feeding. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(2), 368–378.
BronfenbrennerU. (1994). Ecological models of human development. In GauvianM.ColeM. (Eds.). Readings on the Development of Children (pp. 3–8). London: Macmillan.
12.
BucknerE.MatsubaraM. (1993). Support network utilization by breastfeeding mothers. Journal of Human Lactation, 9(4), 231–235. doi:10.1177/089033449300900422
13.
BurkeG. (2017) Commentary: Improving the content validity of research instruments. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(1), 48–49.
CasalC. S.LeiA.YoungS. L. (2017). A critical review of instruments measuring breastfeeding attitudes, knowledge, and social support. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(1) 21–47.
16.
ChapmanD. J.DoughtyK.MullinE.M.Pérez-EscamillaR. (2015). Reliability of lactation assessment tools applied to overweight and obese women. Journal of Human Lactation, 32(2), 269–276.
17.
ChopelA.SotoD.JoinerB.BenitezT.KonoffR.RiosL.CoastellanosE. (2019). Multilevel factors influencing young mothers’ breastfeeding: A qualitative CBPR study. Journal of Human Lactation, 35(2) 301–317.
18.
de la MoraA.RussellD. W.DungyC. I.LoschM.DusdiekerL. (1999). The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale: Analysis of reliability and validity. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 29(11), 2362–2380.
19.
DennisC. L. (1999). Theoretical underpinning of breastfeeding confidence: A self-efficacy framework. Journal of Human Lactation, 15(3), 195–201.
20.
DennisC. LFauxS. (1999). Development and psychometric testing of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale. Research in Nursing and Health. 22(5), 399–409.
21.
DuckettL. J. (2017). Commentary: “Validation of a Theory of Planned Behavior-Based Questionnaire to examine factors associated with milk expression” by Y. K. Bai & L. M. Dinour. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(4) 666–669.
22.
EdenA. R. (2017). Breastfeeding support: From informal care work to professional health-care work. Anthropology of Work Review, 38(1), 28–39.
23.
FreedG. L.ClarkS. J.HarrisB. G.LowdermilkD. L. (1996). Method and outcomes of breastfeeding instruction for nursing students. Journal of Human Lactation, 12(2), 105–110.
24.
FurmanL.MinichN. M. (2006). Evaluation of breastfeeding of very low birth weight infants: Can we use the Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool?Journal of Human Lactation, 22(2), 175–181. doi:10.1177/0890334406287153
25.
GeymanJ. P.BergA. O. (1989). The Journal of Family Practice 1974–1988. Window to an evolving academic discipline. The Journal of Family Practice, 28(3), 301–4.
26.
GravleeC. C.SweetE. (2008). Race, ethnicity, and racism in medical anthropology, 1977–2002. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 22(1), 27–51.
27.
GrossT. T.DavisM.AndersonA. K.HallJ.HilyardK. (2017). Long-term breastfeeding in African American mothers: A positive deviance inquiry of WIC. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(1), 128–139.
28.
GrubesicT. H.DurbinK. M. (2017). Breastfeeding support: A geographic perspective on access and equity. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(4), 770–780.
29.
HooverC. M.TarrantM.DodgsonJ. E.EdenA. R. (2019). The Journal of Human Lactation: An historical analysis. Journal of Human Lactation, 35(4), 750–758.
KasoM.MiyamotoK.KoyamaE.NakayamaT. (2011). Breastfeeding information in midwifery textbooks in Japan: Content analysis with evaluation standards based on Delphi Method. Journal of Human Lactation, 27(4), 367–377.
32.
KeatingJ., C.CaldwellS.NguyenH.SaljooghiS.SmithB. (1998). A descriptive analysis of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1989–1996. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 21(8), 539–52.
33.
LauC. Y. K.LokK. Y. W.TarrantM. (2018). Breastfeeding duration and the theory of planned behavior and breastfeeding self-efficacy framework: A systematic review of observational studies. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 22(3), 327–342.
34.
LeeD., L.RosenA., D.BurnsV. (2013). Over a half-century encapsulated: A multicultural content analysis of the Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1954–2009. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60(1), 154–61. doi:10.1037/a0031002.
35.
LibbusM. K.BullockL. F. (2002) Breastfeeding and employment: An assessment of employer attitudes. Journal of Human Lactation. 18(3), 247–251.
36.
MatthewsM. K. (1993). Assessments and suggested interventions to assist newborn breastfeeding behavior. Journal of Human Lactation, 9(4), 243–248.
37.
MilesM. B.HubermannA. M. (2014). Qualitative data analysis (3rd Ed). Thousand Oaks, CA.: SAGE Publications, Inc.
38.
MohammadiR.NikokalamM.BastaniP.GhalanehS.AbhariS.GaravandA. (2018). Citation and content analysis of Journal of Health Management and Informatics in 2014–2016. Journal of Health Management and Informatics, 5(2), 72–77.
39.
MulfordC. (1992). The Mother-Baby Assessment (MBA): An “Apgar score” for breastfeeding. Journal of Human Lactation, 8(1), 79–82.
40.
NevillA.AtkinsonG.HughesM. (2008). Twenty-five years of sport performance research in the Journal of Sports Sciences. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26(4), 413–26. doi:10.1080/02640410701714589.
41.
Nommsen-RiversL. (2001). Research Spotlight. Journal of Human Lactation, 17(4), 362–363.
42.
NyqvistK. H.RubertssonC.EwaldU.SjodenO. (1996). Development of the Preterm Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS): A study of nurse–mother agreement. Journal of Human Lactation, 12(3), 207–219.
43.
OgburnT.EspeyE.LeemanL.AlvarezK. (2005). A breastfeeding curriculum for residents and medical students: A multidisciplinary approach. Journal of Human Lactation, 21(4), 458–464.
44.
RempelL. A. (2004). Factors influencing the breastfeeding decisions of long-term breastfeeders. Journal of Human Lactation, 20(3), 306–318.
45.
Reis-ReillyH.Fuller-SankofaN.TibbsC. (2018). Breastfeeding in the community: Addressing disparities through policy, systems, and environmental changes interventions. Journal of Human Lactation, 34(2), 262–271.
46.
RojjanasriratW.WambachK.SousaV. D. (2010). Psychometric Evaluation of the Employer Support for Breastfeeding Questionnaire (ESBQ). Journal of Human Lactation, 26(3), 286–296.
47.
ShepaherdL.WalbeyC.LovellB. (2017). The role of social-cognitive and emotional factors on exclusive breastfeeding duration. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(3), 606–613.
48.
SilvaE. (1986). Opportunity to conduct research. Journal of Human Lactation, 2(2), 23–24.
49.
SingalA.DuraL. (2017). Positive deviance: A non-normative approach to health and risk messaging. Oxford Research Encyclopedia. Retrieved from oxfordre.com/communication. doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.103.248
50.
SkeelL. S.GoodM. E. (1988). Mexican cultural beliefs and breastfeeding: A model for assessment and intervention. Journal of Human Lactation, 4(4), 160–163
51.
SmithL. (1986). One case’s outcome. Journal of Human Lactation, 1(4), 88–89.
52.
StokolsD. (1996). Translating social ecological theory into guidelines for community health promotion. American Journal of Public Health Promotion, 10(4), 282–298. doi:10.4278%2F0890-1171-10.4.282
53.
StroudD.PenningtonP.CleaverC.CollinsJ.TerryN. (2017). A content analysis of research articles in The Journal for Specialists in Group Work: 1998–2015. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work42(2), 194–210. doi:10.1080/01933922.2017.1282569
54.
ThulierD. (2009). Breastfeeding in America: A history of influencing factors. Journal of Human Lactation, 25(1), 85–94.
55.
TuthillE. L.McGrathJ. M.GraberM.CussonR. M.YoungS. L. (2016). Breastfeeding self-efficacy: A critical review of available instruments. Journal of Human Lactation, 32(1), 35– 45. doi:10.1177/0890334415599533
56.
van NesF.AbmaT.JonssonH.DeegD. (2010). Language differences in qualitative research: Is meaning lost in translation?European Journal of Aging, 7, 313–316. doi:10.1007/s10433-010-0168-y
57.
WalkerR. (1987). International survey results from New Zealand. Journal of Human Lactation, 3(3), 106–108.
58.
WambachK. (2018). Commentary on measurement in lactation and breastfeeding. Journal of Human Lactation, 34(4) 699–703.
59.
WatkinsA. L.DodgsonJ. E.McClainD. B. (2017). Online lactation education for health care providers: A theoretical approach to understanding learning outcomes. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(4), 725–735.
60.
WolfJ. F. (2001). Don’t Kill Your Baby: Public Health and the Decline of Breastfeeding in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Columbus, OH: Ohio University Press.
61.
YounasA.QuennellS. (2019). Usefulness of nursing theory-guided practice: An integrative review. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Science. doi:10.1111/scs.12670
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
