Izvorni znanstveni članak
Effectiveness of the UNICEF/WHO 20-hour Course in Improving Health Professionals’ Knowledge, Practices, and Attitudes to Breastfeeding: Before/After Study of 5 Maternity Facilities in Croatia
Irena Zakarija-Grković
orcid.org/0000-0002-3618-6017
; Department of Family Medicine University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Tea Burmaz
orcid.org/0000-0002-9171-2817
; Private Pediatric Practice, Venice, Italy
Sažetak
Aim To evaluate knowledge, practices, and attitudes to breastfeeding
among Croatian health professionals before and after the
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund/World
Health Organization (UNICEF/WHO) 20-hour course.
Methods Study included 5 of 9 maternity hospitals in southern
Croatia˝, which had completed the UNICEF/WHO 20-hour breastfeeding
training course between December 2007 and February
2009. An anonymous questionnaire testing knowledge, practices,
and attitudes was distributed to 424 health professionals before
training and to 308 health professionals afterwards. Health
professionals’ attitudes were assessed using the validated Iowa
Infant Feeding Attitude Scale.
Results The pre-training response rate was >90%, but only 53%
of data were analyzed; the post-training response rate was 69%.
Only one-fifth of health professionals prior to training knew that
breast preparation in pregnancy was unnecessary, but this increased
to 57% after training (P < 0.001). The proportion of health
professionals who recognized hospital practices that support
breastfeeding and signs of poor positioning when breastfeeding
nearly doubled after training (P < 0.001). The proportion of
health professionals correctly recommending immediate “skinto-
skin” contact post-Cesarean section under local anesthesia
did not improve significantly, and stratification analyses showed
that younger respondents (<36 years) were more likely to support
this practice. Although the proportion of health professionals
who correctly managed mastitis improved significantly as a
result of the training, the proportion of those who after training
inappropriately recommended partial or complete cessation of
breastfeeding remained high at 47%. The number of staff with
positive attitudes toward breastfeeding increased from 65% to
79%, whereas the number of staff with neutral attitudes dropped
from 26.6% to 9.9% (P < 0.001). Even after training, a substantial
proportion of health professionals showed uncertainty in their attitude
toward alcohol consumption and breastfeeding.
Conclusion The UNICEF/WHO 20-hour course appears to be an
effective tool for improving health professionals’ breastfeeding
knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
Ključne riječi
breastfeeding training; health professionals; knowledge; attitudes; practice; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
63516
URI
Datum izdavanja:
15.10.2010.
Posjeta: 2.181 *