Knowledge of Breastfeeding Among Medical Students

ABSTRACT Breastfeeding has become a global priority due to its numerous benefits to children’s health, their mothers and society. Breastfeeding rates around the world have been below the desired, therefore, the institutions involved have a social responsibility to prepare medical professionals to teach about, and promote breastfeeding in their medical courses. This study seeks to identify the progress of knowledge about breastfeeding in a medical course, using quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional approaches. It consisted of the application of a questionnaire on breastfeeding that was applied to all students enrolled in the medical course of a University in Alagoas. We excluded from the sample students in the 1st and 12th semesters who participated in the semantic validation, using the instrument, “Encuesta sobre Conocimientos en Lactancia” (ECoLa), originally in Spanish but submitted to a process of semantic validation and made available in full through electronic media. Next, a documentary analysis of the medical course (PPC, subject syllabi, course plans) was carried out, where the theme was inserted. Content regarding the topic of breastfeeding was found in the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 10th periods of the course. The questionnaire gathered information about the students’ knowledge of physiology, public health, feeding in the early days, late problems, assessment of breastfeeding, maternal condition, and prevailing attitudes. As a result of the questionnaire, it was observed that in the first three periods of the course, the success rates remained stable (45.61% – 39.04% – 41.13%), and there were no significant differences between them (p> 0.05). The progression from one period to another was significant between the 3rd (41.13%) and the 4th (61.13%) periods, with a success rate increase of 20%. In the other periods, from the 4th to the 12th periods, there was little variation in the indices and no significant differences between them (p> 0.05). Looking at each area of knowledge covered by this study, it is known that there is still much to do be done to promote teaching about breastfeeding among medical students. Several innovative methodologies can favor learning among health professionals. It is suggested that the topic be addressed throughout the course, from the 1st to the last periods, with gradually increasing complexity, so that graduates can contribute to increasing the rate of breastfeeding in the communities where they will later practice.

摘要：母乳喂养因其对儿童健康、母亲及社会的多重益处，已成为全球优先关注的公共卫生议题。当前全球母乳喂养率仍未达到预期目标，因此相关机构肩负社会责任，需在医学课程中培养医学生传授与推广母乳喂养的能力。本研究采用定量（quantitative）、描述性（descriptive）及横断面研究（cross-sectional approaches）方法，旨在明确某医学课程中母乳喂养相关知识的掌握进展情况。研究对象为阿拉戈斯（Alagoas）某高校医学专业全体在册学生，调研工具为《母乳喂养知识调查问卷》（Encuesta sobre Conocimientos en Lactancia，简称ECoLa）。该问卷原版为西班牙语，经语义验证（semantic validation）流程后通过电子媒介完整发布。本研究排除了参与该问卷语义验证的一年级与十二年级学生作为样本。随后，研究人员对该医学课程的教学文件（课程大纲PPC、学科教学大纲、课程计划）进行了文献分析，确认母乳喂养主题被纳入该课程的第二、第四、第五及第十学期教学内容。问卷收集了学生关于母乳喂养生理学、公共卫生、早期喂养、晚期问题、母乳喂养评估、母体状况及主流认知态度的相关信息。问卷结果显示，课程前三个学期的知识知晓率基本稳定（45.61%、39.04%、41.13%），组间无统计学差异（p>0.05）。从第三学期（41.13%）到第四学期（61.13%），知晓率提升幅度达20%，组间差异具有统计学意义。而第四至第十二学期期间，知晓率波动较小，组间无统计学差异（p>0.05）。针对本研究覆盖的各知识领域分析可见，目前仍需进一步加强医学生的母乳喂养相关教学。多种创新教学方法可助力卫生专业人员的学习。研究建议，母乳喂养主题应贯穿整个医学课程，从第一至最后一学期逐步提升教学复杂度，使毕业生能够在未来执业的社区中助力提升母乳喂养率。