Abstract

BAEZ LEON, Carmen et al. Validation of the LATCH assessment tool into Spanish: Reliability analysis. Index Enferm [online]. 2008, vol.17, n.3, pp.205-209. ISSN 1699-5988.

This article presents the first part of the validation process of the LATCH assessment tool (Jensen, Wallace & Kelsay, 1994) into Spanish. Authors examine the interrater reliability of the scale through percent of agreement and Spearman correlation coefficients. Two nurses simultaneously assessed three breastfeeding moments of 20 mothers and their neonates during the mother's hospital stay. The evaluation previous discharge reveals the percent of agreement among the two raters for the different elements of LATCH was over 80%, and Spearman coefficients were also acceptable. However two of the three correlations for the comfort element were deficient. Further research is necessary, using the LATCH Spanish version, in order to analyse the difficulties with the comfort element, and the predictive power of the instrument on breastfeeding duration.

Keywords : breastfeeding; LATCH; validation; interrater reliability.