ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a targeted, practical education intervention on university students' knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding. METHODS: A university curricular intervention was designed for students to increase their knowledge and positive attitude toward breastfeeding issues. The participants attended a breastfeeding education lectures two hours of weekly for fifteen weeks in university; 61 students (female, n=31 and male, n=30) participated. The pre- and post-measurements included future breastfeeding intention, knowledge, attitude and perceived control beliefs scores based on the results of a questionnaire. RESULTS: The statistical analysis results revealed a significant difference in the pretest and posttest scores (0.57 to 5.10 points, p < 0.001) in regard to the students' breastfeeding knowledge. For female students, significant differences were observed in the future breastfeeding intention (p < 0.05), knowledge (p < 0.001), and attitudes towards breastfeeding (p < 0.05) between the pretest and posttest scores. For male students, there were no significant differences in the future breastfeeding intention, attitudes towards breastfeeding, and perceived control beliefs scores after the breastfeeding education lecture. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the implementation of practical breastfeeding educational interventions helped improve university students' knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding. In summary, despite the limitations, it is necessary to pay more attention to improving students' knowledge and attitudes towards breastfeeding through university curricula.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Breast Feeding , Curriculum , Education , Intention , LectureABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a targeted, practical education intervention on university students' knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding. METHODS: A university curricular intervention was designed for students to increase their knowledge and positive attitude toward breastfeeding issues. The participants attended a breastfeeding education lectures two hours of weekly for fifteen weeks in university; 61 students (female, n=31 and male, n=30) participated. The pre- and post-measurements included future breastfeeding intention, knowledge, attitude and perceived control beliefs scores based on the results of a questionnaire. RESULTS: The statistical analysis results revealed a significant difference in the pretest and posttest scores (0.57 to 5.10 points, p < 0.001) in regard to the students' breastfeeding knowledge. For female students, significant differences were observed in the future breastfeeding intention (p < 0.05), knowledge (p < 0.001), and attitudes towards breastfeeding (p < 0.05) between the pretest and posttest scores. For male students, there were no significant differences in the future breastfeeding intention, attitudes towards breastfeeding, and perceived control beliefs scores after the breastfeeding education lecture. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the implementation of practical breastfeeding educational interventions helped improve university students' knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding. In summary, despite the limitations, it is necessary to pay more attention to improving students' knowledge and attitudes towards breastfeeding through university curricula.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Breast Feeding , Curriculum , Education , Intention , LectureABSTRACT
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of breastfeeding education experience on knowledge, control beliefs, and future intention toward breastfeeding to consider the needs of breastfeeding education program of university students. The breastfeeding knowledge, control beliefs and related habits of 445 male and female college students were evaluated between September 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012. Data were collected from self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS for Window V.17.0. chi2-test, t-test and ANOVA were used for the calculation of differences between groups. The percentage of students who intended to breastfeed their baby was 80.7% (male: 73.6%, female: 84.2%). Only 21.6% of students experienced breastfeeding education. Students planned to get information related to breastfeeding from their mothers (32.4%), breastfeeding experts (23.8%) and Medical doctors & nurses (10.6%). breastfeeding education group showed higher knowledge level (14.46 vs 10.56) and control beliefs (3.48 vs 3.16) to breastfeeding than non-education group (p < 0.001). General attitude toward breastfeeding was similar between groups; the specific intention to breastfeed for 6 months was higher in the education group (83.3% vs 58.2%) (p < 0.01). Percentage of students who gave correct answers to knowledge questions related to breastfeeding was also higher in the breastfeeding education group than non-education group (72.3% vs 52.8%). Among 20 questions, only 2 questions showed no significant differences between the groups. These findings suggested that breastfeeding education was effective in encouraging or improving breastfeeding practices.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Breast Feeding , Education , Intention , Mothers , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Thin study measured dietary intakes in late pregnancy and psychological stress during the period of gestation and examined the roles of diet and psychological stress in pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight. Study subjects were 98 pregnant women who delivered infants at 2 general hospitals in Taejon city. Mean weight gain during pregnancy was 14.6+/-4.89Kg. Mean infant birth weight was 3.39+/-0.62kg in males and 3.28+/-0.43Kg in females. Mean energy and protein intake levels were adequate, but mean iron and calcium intakes were only 61.2+/-14.9% and 79.1+/-18.2% of RDA, respectively. Fat intake which constitutes 22.0+/-4.3% of total energy intake, and animal protein intake which constitutes 22.0+/-4.3% of total energy intake, and animal protein intake which constitutes 53.7% of total protein intake were moderately high. Though mean energy, fat, animal protein, and meat protein intakes in the low psychological stress group were higher than those in the middle or high stress group, psychological stress did not significantly affect pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight. High intakes of nutrients except for dairy protein, iron, and niacin were associated with higher pregnancy weight gain and high intakes of protein and meat protein were associated with higher infant birth weight. It is concluded that dietary intakes during pregnancy has effects on pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight, and psychological stress has no direct effect on them.