Buccini Lab

The Early Responsive Nurturing Care (EARN) survey’s mission is to identify the socioecological factors that influence parenting practices related to breastfeeding, infant feeding, soothing, sleeping, and early childhood development. The EARN survey annually recruits caregivers and mothers of children under the age of 23 months who reside in Clark County, Nevada (including the City of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Mesquite, and Boulder City).  

EARN 2021: In 2021, 506 mothers were reached for the EARN survey, but only 323 of those responses were valid for the data analysis. The majority of the mothers (61%) were between the ages of 25 and 34, were White (54%), followed by Hispanics (29%), had college degrees (Associate or Bachelor), and had household incomes between $50,000 and $99,999 (42%). 15% of them struggled with food insecurity, and 7% had severe depression. 74% of mothers reported having trouble breastfeeding, and 70% of them said they received no assistance or instructions about it during their prenatal care visits. Similarly, 90% received free samples of formula, and 70% received free samples of pacifiers while they were in hospitals. Likewise, 60% of women used pacifiers to soothe their infants, while only 46% exclusively breastfed them

EARN 2022: In 2022, an updated version of the EARN 2021 survey was distributed to mothers and caregivers in Clark County, Las Vegas. A total of 672 mothers and caregivers were reached for the EARN 2022 survey, but only 358 of those responses were valid for data analysis. Data analysis is in process, results TBA.