Factors associated with knowledge about breastfeeding among female garment workers in Dhaka city

ABSTRACT

Background: Knowledge about breastfeeding among women is very important for healthy children.The present study aims to determine the level of knowledge and factors associated with knowledgeon breastfeeding among female garment workers in a selected garment factory in Dhaka city.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 female garment workers in thereproductive age group (15–49 years). Data were collected through a pre-tested questionnaireusing the face-to-face interview method. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was done to determinethe association between sociodemographic variables and knowledge on breastfeeding.Results: The study showed that, overall the level of knowledge regarding breastfeeding is very poor(88%) among the study subjects. Most of the respondents have very poor knowledge regardingadvantages of exclusive breastfeeding (89%) and breastfeeding (100%). In contrast, a majorityhave good knowledge on duration of exclusive breastfeeding (74%) and breastfeeding (66%). Nosignificant association was found between the knowledge score of breastfeeding with remainingsocio-demographic variables like age, marital status, family income and expenditure. Education issignificantly (p<0.001) associated with a higher total knowledge score of breastfeeding. Womenwith secondary level of education had a significantly higher (p<0.001) level of total knowledgescore than other categories (illiterate, primary and higher secondary) of education.Conclusion: A large proportion of female garment workers had inadequate knowledge regardingbreastfeeding. It is also important that health education on breastfeeding is urgently provided tothe female garments workers of Bangladesh