Improving breastfeeding support for parents through peer counseling
Official title: Optimizing utilization of lay health workers to address maternal and child health disparities: A Comprehensive Evaluation of a clinically integrated Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program
Funded at Endeavor Health Clinical Operations · NIH-11085127 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how community health workers can help parents from underserved areas with breastfeeding, aiming to find out what works best to support them and improve health for both moms and babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Endeavor Health Clinical Operations NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Evanston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $143,856 |
| NIH project number | 5K01HS027906-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11085127 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are parents, particularly those from low-income backgrounds or communities of color, who are seeking support for breastfeeding.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not interested in breastfeeding or who have already successfully established breastfeeding may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how lay health workers can effectively support parents in breastfeeding, particularly focusing on those from marginalized communities. By evaluating a clinically integrated breastfeeding peer counseling program, the study aims to identify key activities and factors that enhance the program's success. The approach includes assessing patient knowledge, social support, and the economic impact of the program on families and healthcare systems. The ultimate goal is to create a framework that can help more parents successfully breastfeed, thereby improving maternal and infant health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly increase breastfeeding rates among parents, leading to better health outcomes for both mothers and infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that peer counseling programs can effectively improve breastfeeding rates, indicating a promising approach for this initiative.
Where this research is happening
-
Endeavor Health Clinical Operations
Evanston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keenan-Devlin, Lauren — Endeavor Health Clinical Operations
- Study coordinator: Keenan-Devlin, Lauren
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.