The objectives of this study were to identify cultural factors (including acculturation and breastfeeding cultures in subjects' native countries and those in mainstream Taiwanese society) and social support related to breastfeeding among immigrant mothers in Taiwan. This study was a cross-sectional survey performed from October 2007 through January 2008. The study participants were 210 immigrant mothers living in Taipei City. The prevalence of exclusive and partial breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum was 59.0% and 14.3%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that breastfeeding experience among mothers-in-law and the perceived level of acceptance of breastfeeding in Taiwan were positively associated with breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum. Immigrant women with a higher level of household activity support were less likely to breastfeed. Immigrant mothers in Taiwan usually come from cultures with a higher acceptance level for breastfeeding; however, their breastfeeding practices are more likely to be influenced by the mainstream culture in Taiwan.

The aims of this cross-sectional study were to examine (a) the developmental status and home environments of children (6-24 months) of immigrant women married to Taiwanese men, and (b) the association of child developmental status with parental socio-demographics, maternal language abilities, and home environment qualities. Participants were 61 children and their mothers from China and Vietnam. Data were collected with interviews, home observations, and developmental testing. The children had lower cognitive and language but higher motor and social development scores compared with native norms. Home environment and maternal perceived language ability were positively associated with child development. The association of home environment and maternal language ability with early childhood development was supported for immigrant populations in Taiwan. ß

Objectives Fluoride varnishes are reported to reduce 37–43% of dental caries; however, it remains unclear whether they can prevent severe decay. The study investigated the association between the government‐supported preventive fluoride varnish application service (FVAS) and the risk of undergoing treatments of pulp‐involved primary molars. Methods Children who were younger than 6 years and did not receive any dental treatment between the first and last services within 2 years were defined as the “preventive‐FVAS group.” After the matching process, 45,296 children were selected for further analysis until the end of 2013. The log‐rank test and Cox proportional hazard models were employed to estimate the effects of preventive‐FVAS on the treatments of pulp‐involved primary molars, including pulpectomy and early extraction before the age of 8 years. Results After adjusting for confounding factors, adjusted hazard ratios for the treatments of pulp‐involved primary molars for children who received preventive‐FVAS were 0.96 (95% CI = 0.92–1.00) for initiation of pulpectomy, 0.93 (95% CI = 0.86–1.00) for completion of pulpectomy, and 0.87 (95% CI = 0.82–0.92, P < 0.0001) for early extraction, especially for those who received three or more FVAS. Conclusions Although preventive‐FVASs were associated with a 4–13% decreased risk of undergoing treatments of pulp‐involved primary molars within a lower risk subset, we suggest the implementation the current Taiwan government‐supported FVAS program needs to be modified. Further studies are warranted to evaluate whether it would be a better strategy if the program focused only on the high‐risk group.