Determinants of Knowledge and Attitude towards Breastfeeding in Rural Pregnant Women Using Validated Instruments in Ethiopia

Abstract

Understanding the underlying determinants of maternal knowledge and attitude towards breastfeeding guides the development of context-specific interventions to improve breastfeeding practices. This study aimed to assess the level and determinants of breastfeeding knowledge and attitude using validated instruments in pregnant women in rural Ethiopia. In total, 468 pregnant women were interviewed using the Afan Oromo versions of the Breastfeeding Knowledge Questionnaire (BFKQ-AO) and the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS-AO). We standardized the breastfeeding knowledge and attitude scores and fitted multiple linear regression models to identify the determinants of knowledge and attitude. 52.4% of the women had adequate knowledge, while 60.9% of the women had a neutral attitude towards breastfeeding. In a multiple linear regression model, maternal occupation was the only predictor of the BFKQ-AO score (0.56SD; 95%CI, 1.28, 4.59SD; p = 0.009). Age (0.57SD; 95%CI, 0.24, 0.90SD; p = 0.001), parity (−0.24SD; 95%CI, −0.47, −0.02SD; p = 0.034), antenatal care visits (0.41SD; 95%CI, 0.07, 0.74SD; p = 0.017) and the BFKQ-AO score (0.08SD; 95% CI, 0.06, 0.09SD; p < 0.000) were predictors of the IIFAS-AO score. Nearly half of the respondents had inadequate knowledge and most women had a neutral attitude towards breastfeeding. Policymakers and managers could address these factors when planning educational interventions to improve breastfeeding practices.

Levels and Determinants of Prenatal Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitude, and Intention Among Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northwest Ethiopia

“…Where n is the sample size; Z 1−α/2 is the standard normal variable, at 95% confidence level = 1.96; P is the estimated proportion of mothers with adequate breastfeeding knowledge (P = 52.4%) from a prior study (36); and d is the margin of error = 0.05. The calculated sample size was 422 after adding a 10% non-response rate.…”

“…Participants who responded to the "correct" answers to any of the 20 questions were given a score of 1 and "wrong" responses to any of these questions were given a score of 0. The total BFKQ-A score of all respondents was categorized as adequate knowledge, if they scored the median value (correctly answered 10 questions) of the total BFKQ-A scale or above, otherwise considered as having inadequate knowledge of breastfeeding (36).…”

“…Several studies on breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and intention have been undertaken among pregnant women globally (19,(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38). But there is a paucity of data in Ethiopia that shows the levels of breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and intention among pregnant women.…”

Effectiveness of a positive deviant intervention to improve appropriate feeding practices and nutritional outcomes in West Omo Zone, Maji District: South West Region, Ethiopia: A study protocol for a cluster randomized control trial

“…Approximately half of the questions were negatively worded (i.e. 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, and 17) [41,45].…”

“…Correct responses were scored as one, and zero for other options. Thus, the total scores ranged from 0– 17, these items were developed based on a study done among the Chinese mothers in English and translated to Amharic [41,42].…”