Physicians and nurses: knowledge of clinical management of sexual aggression in children based on the sexual aggression survivors manual in Puerto Rico.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge of health professionals about clinical the management of sexual aggression in children based on the sexual aggression survivors manual in Puerto Rico. METHOD: The study population was composed of 150 health professionals (physicians and nurses). For the collected data, a self-administered questionnaire was used. The response rate was 88.7% (n=133). Descriptive statistics, crosstabs tables and Chi-Square were used for the data analysis. RESULTS: 75.9% of the participants were unaware of physical indicators related to sexual aggression in children. Nevertheless, 66.2% of the participants recognized emotional indicators of sexual aggression. 82.7% of the participants think sexual aggression victims should be referred to the physician and nurse, followed by 20.4% that indicated the social worker. 94.7% of the participants were unaware of the correct steps to carry out in a crisis intervention with sexual aggression victims and 91.7% recognized that all information topics should be offered during the intervention. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm the necessity of intervention strategies to increase the knowledge of the participants about the correct clinical management of sexual aggression survivors.

Puerto Rican health teachers: attitudes towards breastfeeding

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to identify attitudes towards breastfeeding and support for breastfeeding in public in a group of health teachers in the Department of Education. METHOD: The study design was correlational descriptive. A self-administered questionnaire was used (Cronbach's alpha = 0.83) for 125 health teachers. Descriptive and inferential statistics (chi square and t test) were used for data analysis. RESULTS: 89.6 were women, 47.1 had 39 years of age or less, 76.4 were married, the median of years in the profession was 12.5. Only 8.8 had breastfed exclusively, 46.1 used artificial feedings exclusively, and 45.1 combined artificial milk and breast milk. A moderate/negative attitude towards breastfeeding was shown by 53.1. 60.3 stated they agreed or totally agreed that in order to breastfeed the mother must follow a specific diet, 36.0 agreed or totally agreed that breast milk should alternate with artificial milk, and 100 of participants do not support breastfeeding in public. No significant difference was found in the attitude scale towards breastfeeding and the gender, the age, years in the profession, and the type of milk given their children. CONCLUSIONS: We must train teachers in the Department of Education, on a priority basis, in the field of human lactation in view of their importance for health promotion.