Breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes of health professionals and students.

Thirty-one physicians, 108 nurses, 105 medical students, and 126 student nurses practicing in the same medical center received a questionnaire to evaluate their knowledge and attitudes about breastfeeding. The mean knowledge score of the 139 staff member was 49.4 +/- 10.8 (The highest possible score was 73); that of the medical students was 31.2 +/- 8.9, and that of the nurse students was 39.5 +/- 7.6. Thirteen percent of the medical students vs. 68.6% of the student nurses reported that they had received breastfeeding education in school. All of the respondents had a positive attitude toward breastfeeding. Occupation and in-service education for breastfeeding could increase the knowledge score. Having been breastfed during infancy could increase both the knowledge score and positive attitude score. We suggest that breastfeeding be integrated into the curricula of both medical and nursing schools. Health professionals should receive in-service education. The mechanism of lactation, management of breast problems and infant problems, contraindications for breastfeeding, the properties of human milk and the benefits of breastfeeding for the infant should all be included.

Families of Chinese children with malignancy: the factors impact on mother's anxiety.

This study examines the impact of the stress experienced by mothers during a child's cancer treatment. A descriptive correlation study has been designed to examine the relationships between uncertainty, sense of mastery, boundary ambiguity, and anxiety. The sample consists of 100 mothers recruited in two teaching hospitals in Taiwan. The sense of mastery was found to act as a mediator between uncertainty and anxiety, whereas uncertainty was a good predictor of boundary ambiguity. The first 2 months of treatment and the incidence of cancer recurrence represented a significant special experience for mothers. Nursing intervention to improve the mothers' sense of mastery and to assist families in establishing functional patterns of parent-child interaction is discussed.