Alomran Bedoor, Fakhroo Latifa, Al Khalifa Maryam, Alhakim Fatima, Hassan Ghada A, Shajira Eman
Radiology, Bahrain Defence Force Royal Medical Services, Riffa, BHR.
Diagnostic Radiology, Bahrain Defence Force Royal Medical Services, Riffa, BHR.
Cureus. 2024 Dec 20;16(12):e76070. doi: 10.7759/cureus.76070. eCollection 2024 Dec.
Objectives Breastfeeding is critical for a mother's health, as well as the development and survival of her infant. Healthcare personnel are a reliable source of information for breastfeeding mothers during and after radiological procedures, assuming their understanding is appropriate. As a result, this study analyzed healthcare professionals' knowledge of breastfeeding and radiological tests on lactating mothers. Methods A cross-sectional survey was implemented using a validated questionnaire containing 25 items about breastfeeding habits and radiation imaging including male and female healthcare staff in primary and tertiary hospitals in Bahrain. The survey comprised 384 responders who were doctors, nurses, radiology technicians, and other allied health professionals. Results In general, 284 (74%) participants scored outstanding knowledge on questions about the health benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and newborns. However, there was a clear lack of awareness concerning the use of imaging modalities and contrasts on lactating mothers, with only 117 (30.5%) participants scoring an "Excellent" knowledge score. Factors associated with basic knowledge included breastfeeding practice, source of knowledge, and years of experience. The availability of CT/MRI/nuclear scans was one factor related to radiological imaging knowledge. Participants' age, academic background, and profession had strong correlations with fundamental and radiological knowledge. Conclusion Overall, health professionals' awareness and understanding of breastfeeding was average; there is a lack of knowledge of radiological imaging on lactating mothers, which may lead to the discontinuation of breastfeeding following radiological examination. Our study advises incorporating the impacts of exposure to radiological imaging into breastfeeding education programs to increase healthcare providers' knowledge and thereby encourage breastfeeding practice.
目的 母乳喂养对母亲的健康以及婴儿的发育和生存至关重要。在放射检查期间及之后，医护人员是母乳喂养母亲可信赖的信息来源，前提是他们有恰当的理解。因此，本研究分析了医护人员对哺乳期母亲母乳喂养及放射检查的知识掌握情况。方法 采用一份经过验证的问卷进行横断面调查，问卷包含25项关于母乳喂养习惯和放射成像的问题，调查对象包括巴林一级和三级医院的男女医护人员。该调查共有384名受访者，包括医生、护士、放射技师和其他相关健康专业人员。结果 总体而言，284名（74%）参与者在关于母乳喂养对母亲和新生儿健康益处的问题上得分优异。然而，对于哺乳期母亲使用成像方式和造影剂方面明显缺乏认识，只有117名（30.5%）参与者获得“优秀”的知识得分。与基础知识相关的因素包括母乳喂养实践、知识来源和工作年限。CT/磁共振成像/核扫描设备的可获得性是与放射成像知识相关的一个因素。参与者的年龄、学术背景和职业与基础知识和放射知识有很强的相关性。结论 总体而言，卫生专业人员对母乳喂养的认识和理解处于中等水平；对哺乳期母亲的放射成像知识缺乏了解，这可能导致放射检查后停止母乳喂养。我们的研究建议将接触放射成像的影响纳入母乳喂养教育项目，以增加医疗服务提供者的知识，从而鼓励母乳喂养实践。
