Telephone intervention to promote maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy: randomized clinical trial.

Hilana Dayana Dodou,Mônica Oliveira Batista Oriá,Raylla Araújo Bezerra,Lorena Pinheiro Barbosa,Camila Teixeira Moreira Vasconcelos,Anne Fayma Lopes Chaves

doi:10.1590/1980-220x-reeusp-2020-0520

Abstract

To analyze the effects of an educational intervention via telephone on maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy. Randomized controlled clinical trial including 240 puerperae from a secondary care hospital randomized into two groups: control and intervention. The educational intervention took place at seven, 30, 90, and 150 days postpartum and centered on self-efficacy and motivational interviewing principles. Self-efficacy was measured by the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale - Short Form. The data followed the abnormal distribution, so non-parametric tests were used. The intervention group obtained higher median breastfeeding self-efficacy scores across the three outcome measures when compared to the control group (p < 0,001). Furthermore, the intervention group showed increased self-efficacy scores at all monitoring moments, which shows that the educational intervention was able to raise and maintain women's confidence in breastfeeding their child over time. The use of a telephone-based intervention focused on self-efficacy principles and delivered by trained nurses effectively promoted maternal confidence in breastfeeding. Brazilian Clinical Trial Registry: RBR-7m7vc8.

Highlights

Breastfeeding is a fundamental practice for the child’s development, both nutritionally, immunologically and psychologically, since it favors the mother-baby bond
During the educational intervention sessions, we addressed up to two items of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale – Short Form (BSES-SF) in which the women experienced difficulty
The effect of the telephone educational intervention on maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy was assessed at three puerperal times during the course of the study

Summary

Introduction

Breastfeeding is a fundamental practice for the child’s development, both nutritionally, immunologically and psychologically, since it favors the mother-baby bond. Updated data show that expanding this practice to a nearly universal level could prevent 823,000 deaths each year in children under five[2] In this context, it is essential to note that maternal breastfeeding (MBF) brings other benefits that are important to mention, such as children survival, especially in developing countries like Brazil[3,4]. Despite government initiatives and the broad and wellknown benefits of breastfeeding for the mother-child binomial health, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in children under six months was 36.6% in in Brazil’s last National Health Survey[5]. This rate is still considered very low, and it is necessary to take actions that work on the causes of early weaning. Self-efficacy is defined as a person’s belief in his or her ability to perform a specific activity or behavior successfully[6]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion