Public Health Department, College of Health Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Saudi Arabia.
Community Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University, Egypt.
Afr J Reprod Health. 2023 May;27(5):58-71. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2023/v27i5.6.
The decision for infant feeding behaviors is often made early in life, based on the socio-cultural context. Thus, exploring this issue and its influencing factors can create Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) culture among future mothers. This study aimed to predict EBF behavior among female higher education students in Saudi Arabia through the application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This descriptive exploratory research was conducted on three university campuses in three cities (Dammam, Jeddah, and Abha). A multistage cluster random sampling was employed to select 600 female students using a digital survey containing three sections: Personal Data and Previous BF Exposure, EBF Knowledge Scale, and The TPB constructs for the EBF scale (attitude, Subjective Norms/SN, Perceived Behavioral Control/PBC, intention, and Perceived Behavior). The results showed that the highest percent of the participants had moderate BF exposure (63.8%) and knowledge (65.7%), positive attitude (85.8%), high SN (66.2%), moderate PBC (75.8%), high intention (55.2%), and positive perceived behavior (55.2%). The SEM had acceptable fit indices were χ2/df ratio=3.817, GFI=0.935, RMSEA=0.044, NFI=0.942, CFI=0.951, PCFI =0. 924. It showed that the EBF attitude (β=0.607), SN (β=0.123), and PBC (β=0.158) were significant positive and direct predictors of the EBF intention (P <0.001). Both intention (β=0.213) and PBC (β=0.226) were significant positive and direct predictors of the perceived behavior (P <0.001). It accounted for 49.5% of the variance in EBF intention and 70.0% for the behavior. The BF exposure and knowledge were significant positive predictors of EBF intention (β=0.158, β= 0.237) and behavior (β=0.140, β= 0.207) (P=0.000). Thus, the TPB has a good predictive ability for EBF intention and behavior among the studied Saudi female university students. Thus, it can be employed for efficient health promotion and the development of EBF-friendly policies.
婴儿喂养行为的决定通常在生命早期做出，基于社会文化背景。因此，探讨这一问题及其影响因素可以在未来的母亲中创造纯母乳喂养（EBF）文化。本研究旨在通过应用结构方程模型（SEM）的计划行为理论（TPB）来预测沙特阿拉伯女大学生的 EBF 行为。这是一项描述性探索性研究，在三个城市（达曼、吉达和阿巴哈）的三所大学校园进行。采用多阶段聚类随机抽样，使用包含三个部分的数字调查从 600 名女学生中选择 600 名女学生：个人数据和以前的 BF 暴露、EBF 知识量表以及 EBF 量表的 TPB 结构（态度、主观规范/ SN、感知行为控制/ PBC、意图和感知行为）。结果显示，最高比例的参与者具有中度 BF 暴露（63.8%）和知识（65.7%）、积极的态度（85.8%）、高 SN（66.2%）、中度 PBC（75.8%）、高意图（55.2%）和积极的感知行为（55.2%）。SEM 具有可接受的拟合指数，χ2/df 比=3.817，GFI=0.935，RMSEA=0.044，NFI=0.942，CFI=0.951，PCFI=0.924。结果表明，EBF 态度（β=0.607）、SN（β=0.123）和 PBC（β=0.158）是 EBF 意图的显著正向直接预测因素（P<0.001）。意图（β=0.213）和 PBC（β=0.226）均为感知行为的显著正向直接预测因素（P<0.001）。它解释了 EBF 意图的 49.5%和行为的 70.0%的差异。BF 暴露和知识是 EBF 意图（β=0.158，β=0.237）和行为（β=0.140，β=0.207）的显著正向预测因素（P=0.000）。因此，TPB 对沙特女大学生的 EBF 意图和行为具有良好的预测能力。因此，它可以用于有效的健康促进和制定 EBF 友好政策。
