Behaviour, Attitudes and Knowledge of Healthcare Workers on Breastfeeding

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to determine the current state of behavior, attitudes, and knowledge of health professionals about breastfeeding in Croatia. Data were collected via a breastfeeding behavior, attitudes, and knowledge questionnaire, which has already been validated and used in Croatia. The secondary aim is to identify differences in outcomes of respondents by occupation (nurses versus others health professionals). In the study, 374 health professionals participated (37 males and 337 females). Respondents completed the questionnaire online. Respondents were rarely involved in breastfeeding education. On the behavior scale, the worst answer was given to the question of advising mothers on breastfeeding after 24 months. On the attitude scale, the worst result was achieved in terms of public breastfeeding and the support of the child’s father for the breastfeeding mother. Respondents demonstrated the worst knowledge of The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and the use of medications while breastfeeding. There was no statistically significant difference between the results of respondents in relation to the occupation of the respondents. In the preparation of future breastfeeding education for health professionals in Croatia, particular attention should be given to these issues.

The Influence of Participation in Pregnancy Courses and Breastfeeding Support Groups on Attitudes and Knowledge of Health Professionals about Breastfeeding

“…A confirmatory factor analysis was performed for the behavior scale (Average variance extracted = 0.52; 0.52; 0.53, Average Shared Variance = 0.28, Maximum Shared Variance = 0.25, the square root of Average variance extracted latent constructs is greater than the correlation between any pair of latent constructs, HTMT = 0.55) and the attitude scale (Average variance extracted = 0.50; 0.52, Average Shared Variance = 0.18, Maximum Shared Variance = 0.18, the square root of Average variance extracted latent constructs is greater than the correlation between any pair of latent constructs, HTMT = 0.63). The questionnaire is available at the link listed in the references section of this paper [ 10 ]. The author of the questionnaire is willing to provide instructions for scoring the results of the questionnaire upon request, which should be sent to her e-mail address.…”

“…The questionnaire was posted on the websites of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek and Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences. Healthcare professionals received information about the study and link to access the questionnaire from several sources: from the association “For a healthy and happy childhood”, direct contacts from colleagues who actively participate in breastfeeding promotional activities, through the Croatian Breastfeeding Support Association with the assistance of lecturers from Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek, Bjelovar University, and through UNICEF’s “Specialist Pediatric Clinics-Friends of Breastfeeding” [ 11 ]. All healthcare workers could participate in the research, regardless of their age, place of residence, workplace, professional qualification, etc.…”

“…The margin of error is 5%, and the Confidence level is 95%. Population proportion represented the percentage of respondents with a satisfactory level of knowledge and positive attitudes about breastfeeding (80%), and it was determined according to the results of a previous study published in “Children” [ 11 ]. The minimum number of necessary samples to meet the desired statistical constraints is 245.…”

Behavior, attitudes and knowledge of healthcare workers about breastfeeding

“…Mjerni instrument u ovom istraživanju je bio validirani upitnik za ispitivanje ponašanja, stavova i znanja zdravstvenih djelatnika (BBAKQ prof.) koji je već korišten u sličnim istraživanjima (19). Upitnik se sastoji od ljestvica ponašanja, stavova i znanja zdravstvenih djelatnika o dojenju, čestice ljestvica su prikazane u Tablici 2., 3. i 4.…”

“…Rezultati po pojedinim česticama upitnika prikazani su frekvencijama i postotcima. Za usporedbu rezultata s rezultatima komparativnog istraživanja (19) korišten je hi kvadrat test, a svrha usporedbe je bila utvrditi postojanost rezultata, tj. čestica upitnika na kojima zdravstveni djelatnici postižu najlošiji rezultat.…”