Validación de un cuestionario sobre conocimientos y habilidades en lactancia materna

Abstract

IntroductionPediatricians play a key role in the onset and duration of breastfeeding. Although it is known that they lack formal education on this subject, there are currently no validated tools available to assess pediatrician knowledge regarding breastfeeding. ObjectiveTo develop and validate a Breastfeeding Knowledge and Skills Questionnaire for Pediatricians. Material and methodsOnce the knowledge areas were defined, a representative sample of pediatricians was chosen to carry out the survey. After pilot testing, non-discriminating questions were removed. Content validity was assessed by 14 breastfeeding experts, who examined the test, yielding 22 scorable items (maximum score: 26 points). To approach criterion validity, it was hypothesized that a group of pediatricians with a special interest in breastfeeding (1) would obtain better results than pediatricians from a hospital without a maternity ward (2), and the latter would obtain a higher score than the medical residents of Pediatrics training in the same hospital (3). The questionnaire was also evaluated before and after a basic course in breastfeeding. ResultsBreastfeeding experts have an index of agreement of >.90 for each item. The 3 groups (n=82) were compared, finding significant differences between group (1) and the rest. Moreover, an improvement was observed in the participants who attended the breastfeeding course (n=31), especially among those with less initial knowledge. Regarding reliability, internal consistency (KR-20=.87), interobserver agreement, and temporal stability were examined, with satisfactory results. ConclusionsA practical and self-administered tool is presented to assess pediatrician knowledge regarding breastfeeding, with a documented validity and reliability.