Maternal child-rearing behaviors and correlates in rural minority areas of Yunnan, China.

An epidemiological survey of maternal child-rearing behaviors was conducted in the rural minority areas of Yunnan China. An interview of 2019 rural mothers of Hani Yi Hui Miao and Han and 544 urban mothers with children younger than 7 years of age showed that 51.7% of these rural mothers placed their infants in swaddling clothes. In the rural sample exclusive breast-feeding occurred at frequency rates of 76.7% and 34.2% during 3 and 6 months postpartum respectively. Maternal training and playing behaviors were reported less frequently whereas physical punishment for childrens misbehavior was more commonly found in the child-rearing behavior of rural mothers. Maternal child- rearing behaviors differed significantly among ethnic groups as well as between urban and rural areas. Maternal child-rearing behaviors were significantly associated maternal education level family type family income maternal age at delivery and number of children in the family. Childrens gender had no significant association with maternal child-rearing behaviors. (authors)