Key disease parameters and values used to model breastfeeding scenarios**
| Outcome | Odds ratios in favour of breast feeding | Incidence | Unit costs (2009/2010 prices) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal illnesses | Exclusive breast feeding: Hospitalisation: 0.39 (0.18–0.85)20 GP visits: 0.28 (0.11–0.69)21Any breast feeding: Hospitalisation: 0.52 (0.30–0.87)20 GP visits: 0.36 (0.18–0.74)21 | Hospital admissions: 17.2/1000 live births* Primary care consultations: 4682/100 000 infants <1 year† | Hospital admissions‡: Baseline: £989 per admitted child Lower quartile: £586 Upper quartile: £1206Primary care consultation22: Baseline: £36 per GP consultation Upper end cost: £53 |
| Lower respiratory tract infection | Exclusive breast feeding: Hospitalisation: 0.70 (0.49–0.98)20 GP visits: 0.69 (0.47–1.0)23Any breast feeding: Hospitalisation: 0.67 (0.52–0.88)20 GP visits: 0.65 (0.43–0.96)24 | Hospital admissions: 59.1/1000 live births* Primary care consultations: 23 433/100 000 infants <1 year† | Hospital admissions‡: Baseline: £1078 per admitted child Lower quartile: £749 Upper quartile: £1290Primary care consultation22: Baseline: £36 per GP consultation Upper end cost: £53 |
| Acute otitis media | Exclusive breast feeding: GP visits: 0.50 (0.37–0.70)25Any breast feeding: GP visits: 0.40 (0.21–0.76)24 | Primary care consultations: 136/100 000 infants <1 year† | Primary care consultation22: Baseline: £36 per GP consultation Upper end cost: £53 |
| NEC | Any breast milk: 0.19 (0.05–0.73)26 | NEC cases27: 1/100 neonatal admissions Surgical NEC: 31% Medical NEC: 69% Average length of stay: 26.7 days§ | Surgery‡: Baseline: £1450 per episode Lower quartile: £689 Upper quartile: £1802 Neonatal unit stay‡: Baseline: £618 per bed-day Lower quartile: £509 Upper quartile: £712 |
| Maternal breast cancer | Ever breast feeding vs never breast feeding: 0.96 (0.92–0.99)28 Breast feeding for <6 months vs never: 0.98 (0.95–1.01)28 Breast feeding for 7–18 months vs never: 0.94 (0.91–0.97)28 Breast feeding for 18+ months vs never: 0.89 (0.84–0.94)28 | Breast cancer cases: Lifetime incidence of 12 500/100 000 population (ie, a lifetime risk of one in eight)¶ | Breast cancer average: Baseline: £11 726 per case29 Upper end cost: £16 26030 |
*Infant Feeding Profiles 2002/2003–2009/2010. Beta Test V.7 September 2011 from Department of Health.
†Data made available by the Royal College of GPs Research and Surveillance Weekly Returns Service for 2010.
‡Estimated by research team based on the NHS Reference Costs 2009–2010. Available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_123459
§Hospital Episode Statistics 2009–2010: http://www.hesonline.nhs.uk/Ease/servlet/ContentServer?siteID=1937&categoryID=192
¶Breast cancer UK incidence statistics. Cancer Research UK: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/breast/incidence/
**Details of each parameter value can be found in the Appendix to the main report, pp.86–113 available from http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Baby_Friendly/Research/appendices_preventing_disease_saving_resources.pdf
NEC, necrotising enterocolitis; NHS, National Health Service; GP, general practitioner.