Predictors of knowledge and practice of exclusive breastfeeding among health workers in Mwanza city, northwest Tanzania.

Lucy E Chale,Tanis R Fenton,Neema Kayange

doi:10.1186/s12912-016-0192-0

Abstract

BackgroundUniversal exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months is estimated to reduce infant mortality by 13–15% (9 million) in resource poor countries. Although 97% of women initiate breastfeeding in Tanzania, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months remains below 50%. Accurate knowledge and practical skills pertaining to exclusive breastfeeding among health workers is likely to improve breastfeeding rates. Our study reports the health workers’ knowledge and practice on EBF in Mwanza City, northwest of Tanzania.MethodsOne principal researcher and two research assistants conducted data collection from 11 June–6 July 2012. In total, 220 health care workers including: 64 clinicians (medical specialists, residents, registrars, assistant medical officers and clinical officers) and 156 nurses were interviewed using a structured knowledge questionnaire. Amongst 220 health workers, 106 were observed supporting Breastfeeding using a checklist. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding knowledge and desirable skills.ResultsAlmost half of the 220 health workers interviewed correctly described EBF as defined by the World Health Organization. Only 52 of 220 respondents had good knowledge. In the adjusted analysis, working at hospital facility level compared to dispensary (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.1–4.0, p-value = 0.032) and attending on job training (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.2–6.1, p-value = 0.015) were associated with better knowledge. In total, 38% of respondents had a desirable level of practical skills. Clinicians were more likely to have good practice (OR 3.6; 95% CI 1.2–10.8; p-value = 0.020) than nurses. Most of the health workers had no training on EBF, and were not familiar with breastfeeding policy.ConclusionLess than 25% of healthcare workers surveyed had good knowledge of EBF. These findings identify the need for comprehensive training and mentoring of health workers on exclusive breastfeeding, making breastfeeding policies available and understood, along with supportive supervision and monitoring.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12912-016-0192-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Highlights

Universal exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months is estimated to reduce infant mortality by 13–15% (9 million) in resource poor countries
Our study reports factors associated with knowledge and practice of health workers working in one of rapidly expanding cities in Tanzania
On multivariate logistic regression analysis, once sex, age, facility level, cadre, and years since professional training and on the job breastfeeding training were controlled for, similar factors as for univariate were associated with desirable knowledge on breastfeeding working at hospital facility level compared to dispensary

Summary

Introduction

Universal exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months is estimated to reduce infant mortality by 13–15% (9 million) in resource poor countries. The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous: is it considered complete nutrition for the first 6 months of life, exclusive breastfeeding is associated with preventing life-threatening infections in infants, as well as health benefits for mothers [3, 4]. The immune cells are macrophages and the neutrophils that can destroy harmful bacteria; and the immunoglobins, which help to protect infants’ mucosal surfaces against entry of pathogenic bacteria and viruses [7, 8]. These immune substances could prevent up to 13–15% [9 million] deaths of children under 5 years in resource poor settings [9]. Even in the areas where HIV prevalence is high, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, EBF has been associated with lower rates of mother to child HIV transmission [10, 11]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion