Department of Psychiatry/Island Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada
J Hum Lact. 2010 May;26(2):157-67. doi: 10.1177/0890334409352853. Epub 2009 Dec 15.
Using an experimental design, this study assessed knowledge, attitudes, and intentions regarding infant feeding practices among Canadian female university undergraduates (N = 285). Participants completed a survey of knowledge, attitudes, and intentions with respect to infant-feeding practices. Two versions of the survey were randomly distributed to participants: one containing a photograph of a woman breastfeeding her infant (n = 131) and the other containing a photograph of the same women bottle-feeding her infant (n = 154). Findings indicated that the majority of the sample had been breastfed (84%) and intend to breastfeed their own offspring (97%). The intention to breastfeed future offspring was predicted by knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of social norms. Participants reported more positive attitudes toward visual depictions of breastfeeding compared with bottle-feeding but less positive views of breastfeeding in public compared with bottle-feeding in public. Participants also significantly underestimated the health benefits and optimal duration of breastfeeding. The findings highlight gaps in knowledge that may contribute to premature cessation of breastfeeding among Canadian women and suggest the need for breastfeeding education.
本研究采用实验设计，评估了加拿大女大学生（N=285）在婴儿喂养实践方面的知识、态度和意图。参与者完成了一份关于婴儿喂养实践的知识、态度和意图的调查。调查的两个版本随机分发给参与者：一个版本包含一个母乳喂养婴儿的女性的照片（n=131），另一个版本包含同一个女性用奶瓶喂养婴儿的照片（n=154）。调查结果表明，大多数样本都曾母乳喂养过（84%），并打算用母乳喂养自己的后代（97%）。对社会规范的知识、态度和看法预测了未来母乳喂养的意图。与奶瓶喂养相比，参与者对母乳喂养的视觉描述的态度更为积极，但与奶瓶喂养相比，他们对在公共场合母乳喂养的看法则不那么积极。参与者还严重低估了母乳喂养的健康益处和最佳持续时间。这些发现突出了知识上的差距，这些差距可能导致加拿大妇女过早停止母乳喂养，并表明需要进行母乳喂养教育。
