Background: Nurses are important frontline health workers that promote and support optimum breastfeeding. They are, therefore, expected to have basic breastfeeding knowledge and favaourable attitude for better clinical experience as students and intention to breastfeed as potential parents. This study aimed to assess the breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and intention of nursing students in Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 142 nursing students. A validated tool was used to obtain breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and intention of the students. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: The majority (81%) of the nursing students had adequate breastfeeding knowledge, however, only four out of every 10 students had a positive attitude towards breastfeeding and 36.6% had good intention to breastfeed in the future. This study revealed no significant relationship (p = 0.102) between the breastfeeding knowledge and attitude of the students while a significant relationship (p = 0.002) existed between breastfeeding knowledge and future breastfeeding intention of the nursing students. Conclusion: Nursing students demonstrated adequate knowledge of breastfeeding; however, their attitudes towards breastfeeding and the intention to breastfeed were inadequate. There is a need to focus on the attitudinal changes of the nursing students which could influence their future professional practices and engagement in the optimal breastfeeding practices.
References
[1]
Jai, K., Das, R.A. and Bhutta, Z.A. (2016) Infant and Young Child Growth. In: Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health: Disease Control Priorities, The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, Washington D.C. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0348-2_ch12
[2]
Global Nutrition Report (2021) The State of Global Nutrition. Development Initiatives, Poverty Research Ltd., Bristol. https://globalnutritionreport.org/reports/2021-global-nutrition-report
[3]
National Population Commission—NPC/Nigeria and ICF (2019) Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018. NPC and ICF, Abuja.
[4]
Issaka, A.I., Agho, K.E. and Renzaho, A.M.N. (2017) Prevalence of Key Breastfeeding Indicators in 29 Sub-Saharan African Countries: A Meta-Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys (2010-2015). BMJ Open, 7, e014145. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014145
[5]
Ogbo, F.A., Agho, K., Ogeleka, P., Woolfenden, S., Page, A., Eastwood, J. and Global Child Health Research Interest Group (2017) Infant Feeding Practices and Diarrhea in Sub-Saharan African Countries with High Diarrhea Mortality. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171792
[6]
Ogunlesi, T.A. (2010) Maternal Socio-Demographic Factors Influencing the Initiation and Exclusivity of Breastfeeding in a Nigerian Semi-Urban Setting. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 14, 459-465. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-008-0440-3
[7]
Ugboaja, J.O., Berthrand, N.O., Igwegbe, A.O. and Obi-Nwosu, A.L. (2013) Barriers to Postnatal Care and Exclusive Breastfeeding among Urban Women in Southeastern Nigeria. Nigerian Medical Journal, 54, 45-50. https://doi.org/10.4103/0300-1652.108895
[8]
Semenic, S., Loiselle, C. and Gottlieb, L. (2008) Predictors of the Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding among First-Time Mothers. Research in Nursing & Health, 31, 428-441. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20275
[9]
Berhe, H., Mekonnen, B., Bayray, A. and Berhe, H. (2013) Determinants of Breastfeeding Practices among Mothers Attending Public Health Facilities, Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 4, 650-660.
[10]
Sanusi, R.A., Leshi, O.O. and Agada, U.N. (2016) Mothers Knowledge and Practice of Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding in Enugu State, Nigeria. Journal of Research in Nursing and Midwifery, 5, 21-29.
[11]
Leshi, O., Samuel, F. and Ajakaye, M. (2016) Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitude and Intention among Female Young Adults in Ibadan, Nigeria. Open Journal of Nursing, 6, 11-23. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojn.2016.61002
[12]
Ogunba, B.O., Nwadigo, C.F. and Idemudia, S.O. (2020) Assessment of the Use of SMS in Promoting Breastfeeding among Female Undergraduates of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. Annals of Child and Youth Studies, 10, 63-75.
[13]
Kavanagh, K.F., Lou, Z., Nicklas, J.C., Habibi, M.F. and Murphy, L.T. (2012) Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitudes, Prior Exposure, and Intent among Undergraduate Students. Journal of Human Lactation, 28, 556-564. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334412446798
[14]
Hamade, H., Naja, F., Keyrouz, S., Hwalla, N., Karam, J., Al-Rustom, L. and Nasreddine, L. (2014) Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitude, Perceived Behavior, and Intention among Female Undergraduate University Students in the Middle East: The Case of Lebanon and Syria. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 35, 179-190. https://doi.org/10.1177/156482651403500204
[15]
Sipsma, H.L., Magriples, U., Divney, A., Gordon, D., Gabzdyl, E. and Kershaw, T. (2013) Breastfeeding Behavior among Adolescents: Initiation, Duration, and Exclusivity. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 53, 394-400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.04.005
[16]
Bernaix, L.W. (2000) Nurses’ Attitudes, Subjective Norms, and Behavioral Intentions toward Support of Breastfeeding Mothers. Journal of Human Lactation, 16, 201-209. https://doi.org/10.1177/089033440001600304
[17]
Radzyminski, S. and Callister, L.C. (2015) Health Professionals’ Attitudes and Beliefs about Breastfeeding. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 24, 102-109. https://doi.org/10.1891/1058-1243.24.2.102
[18]
Ajzen, I. and Fishbein, M. (1980) Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs.
[19]
Bernaix, L.W., Beaman, M.L., Schmidt, C.A., Harris, J.K. and Miller, L.M. (2010) Success of an Educational Intervention on Maternal/Newborn Nurses’ Breastfeeding Knowledge and Attitudes. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing: JOGNN, 39, 658-666. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2010.01184.x
[20]
Patton, C.B., Beaman, M., Csar, N. and Lewinski, C. (1996) Nurses’ Attitudes and Behaviors That Promote Breastfeeding. Journal of Human Lactation, 12, 111-115. https://doi.org/10.1177/089033449601200213
[21]
Cunningham, E.M., Doyle, E.I. and Bowden, R.G. (2018) Maternity Nurses’ Perceptions of Implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. MCN. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 43, 38-43. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000392
[22]
Ahmed, A. and El Guindy, S.R. (2011) Breastfeeding Knowledge and Attitudes among Egyptian Baccalaureate Students. International Nursing Review, 58, 372-378. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-7657.2011.00885.x
[23]
Bozzette, M. and Posner, T. (2013) Increasing Student Nurses’ Knowledge of Breastfeeding in Baccalaureate Education. Nurse Education in Practice, 13, 228-233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2012.08.013
[24]
Whelan, B., McEvoy, S., Eldin, N. and Kearney, J. (2011) What Primary Health Professionals Need to Promote Breastfeeding. Practice Nursing, 22, 35-39. https://doi.org/10.12968/pnur.2011.22.1.35
Khasawneh, W., Kheirallah, K., Mazin, M. and Abdulnabi, S. (2020) Knowledge, Attitude, Motivation and Planning of Breastfeeding: A Cross-Sectional Study among Jordanian Women. International Breastfeeding Journal, 15, 60. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-020-00303-x
[27]
Watkins, A.L. and Dodgson, J.E. (2010) Breastfeeding Educational Interventions for Health Professionals: Synthesis of Intervention Studies. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 15, 223-332. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6155.2010.00240.x
[28]
Bernaix, L., Schmidt, C., Arrizola, M., Iovenilli, D. and Medina-Poeliniz, C. (2008) Success of a Lactation Education Program on NICU Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, 37, 436-445. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2008.00261.x
[29]
Gagnon, A.J., Leduc, G., Waghorn, K., Yang, H. and Platt, R.W. (2005) In-Hospital Formula Supplementation of Healthy Breastfeeding Newborns. Journal of Human Lactation, 21, 397-405. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334405280835
[30]
Spear, H.J. (2004) Nurses’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and Beliefs Related to the Promotion of Breastfeeding among Women Who Bear Children during Adolescence. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 19, 176-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2004.01.006
[31]
Elareed, H.R. and Senosy, S.A. (2020) Exclusive Breastfeeding Knowledge and Attitude among Nursing Students in Beni-Suef. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 7, 42-47. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20195830
[32]
Chuisano, S.A. and Anderson, O.S. (2020) Assessing Application-Based Breastfeeding Education for Physicians and Nurses: A Scoping Review. Journal of Human Lactation, 36, 699-709. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334419848414
[33]
Ogunba, B.O. and Agwo, E.O. (2014) Knowledge, Attitude and Intending Practice of Female Undergraduates about Breastfeeding. African Journal of Food Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 14, 9039-9054. https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.64.13300
[34]
Boyd, A.E. and Spatz, D.L. (2013) Breastfeeding and Human Lactation: Education and Curricular Issues for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 27, 83-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2011.03.005
[35]
Webber, E. and Serowoky, M. (2017) Breastfeeding Curricular Content of Family Nurse Practitioner Programs. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 31, 189-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2016.07.006
[36]
Marzalik, P.R. (2004) Breastfeeding Education in University Nursing Programs. Doctoral Thesis, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago. https://hdl.handle.net/10027/12011
[37]
Dodgson, J.E. and Tarrant, M. (2007) Outcomes of a Breastfeeding Educational Intervention for Baccalaureate Nursing Students. Nurse Education Today, 27, 856-867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2006.12.001
[38]
Linares, A.M., Parente, A. and Coleman, C. (2018) Attitudes, Practices, and Knowledge about Human Lactation among Nursing Students. Clinical Lactation (Amarillo), 9, 59-65. https://doi.org/10.1891/2158-0782.9.2.59
[39]
Cricco-Lizza, R. (2006) Student Nurses’ Attitudes and Beliefs about Breastfeeding. Journal of Professional Nursing, 22, 314-321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2005.11.007
[40]
Riley, E. (2007) Breastfeeding Attitudes of Junior and Senior Nursing Students. Master’s Theses and Capstones, 310. https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/310
[41]
Chen, C.H., Shu, H.Q. and Chi, C.S. (2001) Breastfeeding Knowledge and Attitudes of Health Professionals and Students. Acta Paediatrica Taiwanica, 42, 207-211.
[42]
Ihudiebube-Splendor, C.N., Okafor, C.B., Anarado, A.N., Jisieike-Onuigbo, N.N., Chinweuba, A.U., Nwaneri, A.C., Arinze, J.C. and Chikeme, P.C. (2019) Exclusive Breastfeeding Knowledge, Intention to Practice and Predictors among Primiparous Women in Enugu South-East, Nigeria. Journal of Pregnancy, 2019, Article ID: 9832075. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9832075
[43]
Hyun, T.S., Kim, K.N., Kang, N.M. and Lim, E.Y. (2001) Prenatal Breastfeeding Education and Infant Feeding Practices in Public Health Centers and Baby-Friendly Hospitals. Korean Journal of Community Nutrition, 6, 678-685.
[44]
Hyun, T.S., Kim, K.N., Kang, N.M. and Lim, E.Y. (2002) The Economic Benefits of Breastfeeding. Korean Journal of Community Nutrition, 7, 863-871.
[45]
Khresheh, R. (2020) Knowledge and Attitudes toward Breastfeeding among Female University Students in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Nursing and Midwifery Studies, 9, 43-50. https://doi.org/10.4103/nms.nms_35_19
