Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Regarding Breastfeeding Among Military Mothers in the Ministry of Defense
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2015-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of military mothers
in the Ministry of Defence regarding breastfeeding. Data were collected from 268 randomly
selected sample from seven purposively selected units. The sample consisted of military
mothers who gave birth in the last five years. The mean age of the respondents was 33.9
years. All data were collected through structured and pretested questionnaire. Descriptive
statistics, one-way ANOVA, and binary logistic regression were employed to the quantitative
data. These statistics were processed by using SPSS-version 20, with 95% level of confidence.
Results revealed that most military mothers (73.1%) have good overall breastfeeding
knowledge. They have also a positive overall attitudes towards breastfeeding (M=4.24 /
5.00). Around 67.8% of the respondents practiced breastfeeding. From those activities of
breastfeeding, practice of exclusive breastfeeding and weaning at appropriate time were
observed only by 35.1% and 45.3% of the respondents respectively. Respondents whose
educational levels were diploma and degree indicated better breastfeeding knowledge than
respondents whose educational levels were ≤ grade 12(mean difference=-.1596 and -.225).
Those respondents who had four children also indicated better breastfeeding knowledge than
respondents who had only one child (mean difference=-.187). However, attitudes did not
show significant differences (P>.05) regarding the respondents’ age, rank, educational level
and number of children. Military rank had contributions to the respondents’ overall practice
(ODD=.73) and initiation of breastfeeding (ODD=.715). Educational level of the
respondents had also contribution to their overall practice (ODD=2.045), initiation
(ODD=2.638) and for continuation of breastfeeding (ODD=1.958) up to the age of two
years. Respondents whose nature of duty demanded to work half in office-and-half in field
were 3.6 times more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding than those respondents who
worked mostly in field. The main reasons of the respondents for stopping breastfeeding were
work related problems (46%) followed by age of child (22.4%) and insufficient breast milk
(16.7%). Generally, the present study indicates that knowledge on breastfeeding had
significant relations with the respondents’ attitude and practices.
Key words: Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, military mother, Breastfeeding, mother
Description
Keywords
Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, Military mother, Breastfeeding, Mother