Indeed, childhood poverty is common in Canada: in 1987 1,114,000 children under 16 years of age lived below the poverty line. The incidence is highest among children of single mothers, unemployed parents, Canadian native peoples and recent immigrants, particularly refugees. Compared with the national average, the infant mortality rate is twice as high, deaths from infectious diseases are 2.5 times more common, and accidental deaths are twice as common among children of low-income families. Other problems associated with poverty are iron deficiency anemia, dental caries, chronic ear infections, mental retardation, learning disabilities, poor physical and mental health associated with poverty in children by promoting a broad range of public policies. These numbers come from The Canadian Medical Association Journal,1987. Sep 15;137(6):485-90. I've been looking for Canadian statistics about infections among young children related to low-income, and presently it is hard to find. We want to study the decision and duration of breastfeeding among low-income women in the province in Quebec. We know that breastfeeding can reduce respiratory and gastrointestinal infections and also otitis and can permit to decrease the additional costs associated to health. Otitis can cost up to 660 millions $ per year in the United States. It is now important to prove that infections and diseases appear more often in low-income families children. The results of the study will help us find a strategy to enhance breastfeeding amon low-income families. It will also help improve child health among poor families. Isabel Simard Université Laval Département des sciences des aliments et de nutrition E-mail: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com