Abstract
BackgroundLack of sufficient preparation of physicians for the provision of breastfeeding support and counselling has been well-documented. The development of training in breastfeeding medicine for medical students is currently ongoing worldwide. This study was conducted to gain insights into a potential framework for a breastfeeding education curriculum.MethodsA mixed-method design was used to evaluate the opinions of medical teachers regarding current lactation education and the applicability of the World Health Organization ‘Infant and young child feeding: model chapter for textbooks for medical students and allied health professionals’ in medical colleges in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Twelve teachers from three medical schools were invited to participate in three rounds of research. The first round was carried out through an interview using open-ended questions under three headings: 1) The general opinion on breastfeeding medicine education in medical colleges; 2) The opinion on the contents of the chapter under investigation; and 3) The opinion on cultural points regarding Saudi Arabia and breastfeeding education in medical colleges. This was followed by a thematic analysis. Self-administered, closed-ended questionnaires were created for the second round based the results of the first round. The third round addressed areas of disagreement in opinions. To assess the degree of agreement objectively, rounds 2 and 3 were analyzed according to the 5-point Likert scale, with responses merged to a 3-point Likert scale where appropriate. A consensus was reached when greater than 70% agreement achieved.ResultsAll participants agreed that breastfeeding education is suboptimal. Although they considered the world health organization resource on infant and young child chapter a suitable reference for the curriculum, they agreed that modifications to suit the Saudi Arabian context are necessary. The medical teachers suggested a unique curriculum for medical students, which is similar for both genders. However, disagreement existed regarding the provision of extra clinical training to female students.ConclusionsBreastfeeding medicine education in medical colleges should be developed using resources that are rich in content, are physician-specific and take into consideration the culture.
Highlights
Lack of sufficient preparation of physicians for the provision of breastfeeding support and counselling has been well-documented
Data analysis Round 1 The areas of breastfeeding education in medical colleges that were discussed with the participants were summarized as those relating to the student, the curriculum
The present study focused on an important public health matter: breastfeeding education as a part of medical school curricula
Summary
Lack of sufficient preparation of physicians for the provision of breastfeeding support and counselling has been well-documented. The development of training in breastfeeding medicine for medical students is currently ongoing worldwide. This study was conducted to gain insights into a potential framework for a breastfeeding education curriculum. Major changes are ongoing in both the content and process of medical education. The Saudi framework for medical schools encourages the introduction of health promotion and disease prevention in the undergraduate medical curriculum [2]. Changes in the medical curriculum that address maternal and child health issues have reduced infant mortality in developing countries [3]. Given the documented short- and long-term advantages of breastfeeding, infant nutrition should be considered a public health concern [4], in relation to the trend toward decreased breastfeeding in Saudi Arabia [5, 6]. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine describes the physician’s role in breastfeeding promotion and recommends breastfeeding education to clinicians, starting in the preclinical phase of training [7]
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