Evaluation of breastfeeding promotion, support, and knowledge of benefits on breastfeeding outcomes

Abstract

We examined how prenatal exposure to breastfeeding information from various media sources, maternal knowledge of benefits, family and clinician support, and peer practices influence breastfeeding outcomes in early infancy. Initiation of breastfeeding, any breastfeeding at two months, and exclusivity of breastfeeding at two months were examined in a cohort of US women using data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analyses and logistic regression were conducted. Approximately 85 percent of the women initiated breastfeeding. At two months, 63.8 percent continued breastfeeding, while only 38.1 percent breastfed exclusively. Mothers with greater knowledge about breastfeeding benefits were 11.20 (95%CI: 6.87–18.45) times more likely to initiate breastfeeding and 5.62 (95% CI: 4.19–7.54) times more likely to breastfeed at two months than those with lower levels of knowledge. Women whose families prenatally supported exclusive breastfeeding were 8.21(5.12–13.2) times more likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding (OR 3.21, 95%CI: 2.51–4.11). Clinicians who supported breastfeeding only also increased the odds of a woman initiating breastfeeding (OR 1.95, 95% CI: 1.31–2.88). Interventions to increase maternal knowledge of breastfeeding benefits and family and clinician support of breastfeeding in the prenatal period may help increase breastfeeding rates. The encouragement of breastfeeding needs to be a priority among health care providers to improve the health of mothers and infants.

Construção e validação de instrumento avaliativo do conhecimento de escolares sobre amamentação

“…Upon individual verification of I-CVI eleven items (14,16,17,19,21,22,23,24,25,28,29) did not achieve the minimal score of 0.80, and the lowest value was 0.36 (16,23,25). In judgment of 32 items, the mean I-CVI was 0.81.…”

“…However, thirteen (1,2,3,4,7,8,14,16,17,23,24,25,28) items were identified as inadequate, and the lowest proportion identified was in item 1 (40.9%).…”

“…Concerning clarity, judges evaluated as inadequate the eight items (2,8,9,16,17,19,23,24,25), reaching the lowest proportion in item 17 (50%). Nine items (14,16,17,19,23,24,25,28,29) had inadequacy in the presence criterion. Of these, items 16 and 23 achieved the lowest values, 36.4% each, in topic about presence.…”

“…After analysis of content validation, we opted to exclude eleven items (14,15,16,17,22,23,24,25,28,29, 32) because they had values of I-CVI lower than 0.80 in the assessment of judges. In the second version of the instrument, 21 items that achieved satisfactory I-CVI were maintained (AppendixChart 2), and for this reason, we considered unnecessary to resend them for judges to be revalidate.…”

“…(2) Despite of these benefits, among other, the decision of breastfeeding is influenced by internal and external factors, and support for family is essential for maintenance of breastfeeding. (2,23) In this context, the judges highlighted that item 26 about the help by grandmother could sound an imposition. However, the use of term "could" gives the idea of support and not imposition, for this reason, the item was not changed, considering that he/she obtained an adequate I-CVI.…”