Journal of Education and Health Promotion

The Iranian female high‑school student’s knowledge and attitude toward breastfeeding

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Sharareh Jannesari 1
. Mohammad Ali Hosseini 2
. Nahid Khodakarami 2

1 Men’s Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Midwifery and Reproductive Health Research Center,schoole of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Men’s Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is not only a perfect food for the infant but also is a living fluid with
many features. It provides the infant’s physical growth and is responsive to its emotional needs.
Since determining the knowledge and attitude of girls in this period and promoting, it is considered
as the main principle in motivating them for choosing this method in future.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive‑correlational study was conducted to determine
the knowledge and attitude of 630 high‑school students on breastfeeding at a selected public high
school in Tehran, Iran in 2018. A researcher‑made questionnaire was administered to collect the
data, to determine the validity of the tool; content validity was used and to determine its reliability,
a test re‑test method was applied. Data were analyzed by the nonparametric tests of Chi‑square,
multiple comparisons, and Spearman correlation coefficient.
RESULTS: The results showed that 80.3% had moderate knowledge. The mean score of knowledge
in the human sciences group was significantly higher than others. Furthermore, the attitude of
22.5% of girls was positive, 77.5% had no idea, none of them had negative attitudes. There was a
statistically significant difference between the mean score of attitude of the students in groups of
knowledge (good, moderate, and weak) (P < 0.01), and multiple comparison tests showed that the
positive attitude score in the moderate knowledge group was more than the attitude score in weak
and good knowledge.
CONCLUSION: The results indicate that there is an unbiased attitude about the moderate knowledge
of different aspects of breastfeeding among pre university students, although they have a moderate
knowledge on a complete and successful breast feeding.

Keywords

Attitude
breastfeeding
knowledge
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 10, Issue 8
August 2020
Pages 1-9

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