Breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students in Taiwan: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Optimal nutrition during the first year of life is critical to infants' healthy growth and development. Hence, it is vital that undergraduate health professional curricula provide good quality learning environments to enable students to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to support breastfeeding mothers.

AIMS

To examine the change in knowledge and attitude in Taiwanese nursing students following theoretical and clinical learning experiences on breastfeeding.

METHODS

This study used a pre-test/post-test survey design with two cohorts of nursing students (N=215). Knowledge and attitude were assessed before and after: (a) theoretical (didactic and skills laboratory) education in Cohort One, and (b) clinical placement in Cohort Two.

FINDINGS

Students in both cohorts demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge and attitude post-theoretical education, and post-clinical placement. Prior to theoretical education in Cohort One, those with experience of close family members being breastfed were more than 14 times (adjusted odds ratio: 14.09, 95% confidence interval: 1.73-114.64) to be in the high knowledge group. However, following theoretical or clinical education, there were no sociodemographic group differences in breastfeeding knowledge or attitude in Cohorts One or Two.

CONCLUSION

Results revealed that the current breastfeeding education program in Taiwan, both theoretical and clinical components, increased nursing students' knowledge and improved positive attitudes towards breastfeeding, and any sociodemographic differences in knowledge and attitude about breastfeeding were ameliorated following theoretical and clinical placement experience focused on breastfeeding.