Knowledge of healthcare professionals about breastfeeding and supplementary feeding

Ramos, Ana Elisa; Ramos, Carmen Viana; Santos, Marize Melo dos; Almeida, Camila Aparecida Pinheiro Landim; Martins, Maria do Carmo de Carvalho e

doi:10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0494

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Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem

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Sumário

RESEARCH • Rev. Bras. Enferm. 71 (6) • Nov-Dec 2018 • https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0494 copy

Knowledge of healthcare professionals about breastfeeding and supplementary feeding

Conocimiento sobre lactancia materna y la alimentación complementaria de los profesionales de la salud

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To analyze the knowledge of breastfeeding (BF) and supplementary feeding (SF) of professionals in the Primary Health Care.

Method:

Cross-sectional study, with 168 professionals, conducted between June and September 2016. The Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare means of percentage of knowledge about BF and SF, by professional category and contingency testing, for association between variables.

Results:

From the total of professionals, 39.29% of them demonstrated good knowledge about BF and 2.38% about SF; 74.4% of respondents reported not knowing the program Brazilian Breastfeeding and Feeding Strategy (EAAB – Estratégia Amamenta e Alimenta Brasil). There was a positive association between professionals’ level of knowledge about BF and education (p=0.04), occupation (p=0.05) and healthcare in BF (p=0.04). Regarding the level of knowledge about SF, there was association between education (p<0.01) and healthcare in SF (p=0.04).

Conclusion:

The professionals have greater knowledge about breastfeeding when compared to supplementary feeding.

Descriptors:
Breast Feeding; Healthy Diet; Child Health; Knowledge; Primary Health Care

Variables	n	%
Age
20 to 30 years	24	14.29
31 to 40 years	50	29.76
41 to 50 years	64	38.10
≥51 years	30	17.85
Sex
Female	147	87.50
Male	21	12.50
Service time
<5 years	28	16.67
5 to 9 years	20	11.90
10 to 14 years	36	21.43
15 to 19 years	54	32.14
≥20 years	30	17.86
Education level
High School	90	53.57
Undergraduate education	28	16.67
Specialization	39	23.21
Master’s degree course	6	3.57
Doctor’s degree course	5	2.98
Profession
Doctor	17	10.12
Nurse	20	11.90
Nursing technician	19	11.31
Community health agent	112	66.67
Provides health care on breastfeeding to lactating mothers
No	36	21.43
Yes	132	78.57
Provides health care on supplementary feeding to lactating mothers
No	43	25.60
Yes	125	74.40
Had training/preparation on breastfeeding
No	62	36.90
Yes	106	63.10
Had training/preparation on supplementary feeding
No	97	57.74
Yes	71	42.26
Knows the Brazilian Breastfeeding and Feeding Strategy (EAAB)
No	125	74.40
Yes	43	25.60

Level ofKnowledge	Professional Training				p value*
Level ofKnowledge	Doctor (17)	Nurse (20)	Nursing technician (19)	Community health agent(112)	p value*
Breastfeeding
Mean (95%CI^ 95%CI: Confidence interval of the mean. )	75.4 (68.1 – 82.7)	83.0 (77.8 – 88.2)#	76.9 (69.5 – 84.4)	71.8 (68.9 – 74.7)#	0.01
Median	77.8	83.3	83.3	74.2
Supplementary Feeding
Mean (95%CI)	61.4 (55.8 – 67.0)	61.2 (55.3 – 67.1)	64.4 (60.1 – 68.8)+	54.9 (52.9 – 56.9)+	< 0.01
Median	62.5	62.5	62.5	56.2
Total (BF+SF)
Mean (95%CI)	68.7 (62.8 – 74.5)	72.6 (67.5 – 77.8)^* * 0.02. + 0.003. #0.012.	70.9 (65.9 – 75.8)	64.6 (62.4 – 66.7)^* * 0.02. + 0.003. #0.012.	< 0.01
Median	70.6	73.5	73.5	66.2

Variables	Good		Average		Poor		CC¹ 1 Measure of association, with reference: n≤0.1: weak or nonexistent association; n=0.1 to 0.3: moderate association; n≥0.3: strong association;	p ² 2 P-values for the Chi-square test with significance level ≤0.05;
Variables	n	%	n	%	n	%
Age
≤40 years	31	18.5	38	22.6	5	2.98
>40 years	35	20.8	55	32.7	4	2.38	0.08	0.58
Sex
Female	59	35.1	81	48.2	7	4.17
Male	7	4.17	12	7.14	2	1.19	0.07	0.6
Service time
<15 years	38	22.6	44	26.2	2	1.19
≥15 years	28	16.7	49	29.2	7	4.17	0.16	0.1
Education level
≤ High School	28	16.7	55	32.7	7	4.17
> High School	38	22.6	38	22.6	2	1.19	0.19	0.04
Occupation^* * The percentage of professionals was calculated in proportion to the total number of respondents by category in the table.
Nursing technician and community health agent	46	35.11	76	58.02	9	6.87
Doctors and nurses	20	54.05	17	45.95	0	0	0.18	0.05
Provides health care on breastfeeding to lactating mothers
No	13	7.74	18	10.7	5	2.98
Yes	53	31.5	75	44.6	4	2.38	0.19	0.04
Had training/preparation on breastfeeding
No	20	11.9	38	22.6	4	2.38
Yes	46	27.4	55	32.7	5	2.98	0.11	0.35
Knows the Brazilian Breastfeeding and Feeding Strategy (EAAB)
No	45	26.8	72	42.9	8	4.76
Yes	21	12.5	21	12.5	1	0.6	0.13	0.25

Variables	Good		Average		Poor		CC¹ 1 Measure of association, with reference: n≤0.1: weak or nonexistent association; n=0.1 to 0.3: moderate association; n≥0.3: strong association;	p ² 2 P-values for the Chi-square test with significance level ≤0.05;
Variables	n	%	N	%	N	%
Age
≤40 years	1	0,6	57	33,9	16	9,52
>40 years	3	1,79	76	45,2	15	8,93	0,09	0,5
Sex
Female	3	1,79	119	70,8	25	14,9
Male	1	0,6	14	8,33	6	3,57	0,12	0,3
Service time
<15 years	2	1,19	69	41,1	13	7,74
≥15 years	2	1,19	64	38,1	18	10,7	0,08	0,61
Education level
≤ High School	1	0,6	65	38,7	24	14,3
> High School	3	1,79	68	40,5	7	4,17	0,34	<0,01
Occupation^* * The percentage of professionals was calculated in proportion to the total number of respondents by category in the table.
Nursing technician and community health agent	2	1,53	101	77,1	28	21,37
Doctors and nurses	2	5,41	32	86,5	3	8,11	0,17	0,09
Provides health care on breastfeeding to lactating mothers
No	0	0	30	17,9	13	7,74
Yes	4	2,38	103	61,3	18	10,7	0,19	0,04
Had training/preparation on breastfeeding
No	1	0,6	44	26,2	17	10,1
Yes	3	1,79	89	53	14	8,33	0,17	0,07
Knows the Brazilian Breastfeeding and Feeding Strategy (EAAB)
No	4	2,38	96	57,1	25	14,9
Yes	0	0	37	22	6	3,57	0,12	0,31

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[1] CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Ana Elisa Ramos. E-mail: anaelisa_alegrete@hotmail.com