A Study on Knowledge and Control Beliefs Regarding Breastfeeding of University Students by Their General Characteristics and Experienced Education in Breastfeeding / 대한지역사회영양학회지

ABSTRACT

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.