Skip Navigation



Journal of Tropical Pediatrics Advance Access published online on December 15, 2004
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, doi:10.1093/tropej/fmh071
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (Rapid PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
51/1/33    most recent
fmh071v1
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Shah, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Shah, S.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, Vol. 0, No. 0 © Oxford University Press 2005; all rights reserved.

Article

Breastfeeding Knowledge Among Health Workers in Rural South Africa

Sonal Shah 1, Nigel C. Rollins 2, Ruth Bland 1*, and for the Child Health Group

1 Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, Mtubatuba, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
2 Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, Mtubatuba, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Ruth Bland, E-mail: blandr{at}mrc.ac.za


  Abstract

The aim of the study was to conduct a rapid assessment of breastfeeding knowledge amongst health workers in an area of high HIV prevalence. A cross-sectional survey using semi-structured questionnaires and problem-based scenarios was carried out. Responses were compared to those recommended in the World Health Organization (WHO) Breastfeeding Counselling Course. The setting was a rural area of KwaZulu Natal, with a population of 220 000 people. At the time of the study approximately 36 per cent of pregnant women were HIV-infected and no programme to prevent mother-to-child transmission was in place. A convenient sample of 71 healthcare workers (14 doctors, 25 professional nurses, 16 staff nurses, and 16 community health workers) were included in the study. Over 50% of respondents had given breastfeeding advice to clients over the previous month. However, there were significant discrepancies in breastfeeding knowledge compared to WHO recommendations. Ninety-three per cent (n = 13) of doctors knew that breastfeeding should be initiated within 30 min of delivery, but 71 per cent (n = 10) would recommend water, and 50 per cent (n = 7) solids to breastfed infants under 6 months of age. Fifty-seven per cent (n = 8) considered glucose water necessary for neonatal jaundice, constipation, and for infants immediately after delivery. Only 44 per cent (n = 7) of staff nurses and 56 per cent (n = 14) of professional nurses knew that breastfeeding should be on demand. The majority would recommend water, formula milk, and solids to breastfed infants under 6 months of age, and glucose water for neonatal jaundice and immediately after delivery. Knowledge of community health workers differed most from WHO recommendations: only 37 per cent (n = 6) knew that breastfeeding should be initiated within 30 min of delivery, 68 per cent (n = 11) thought breastfeeding should be on schedule and not on demand, and the majority would recommend supplements to infants under 6 months of age. Few respondents suggested taking a feeding history or observing a breastfeed in response to the problem scenarios. The most commonly given responses to problems of babies who were perceived to be thirsty, unsatisfied, or crying after feeds was to supplement with other fluids or feeds. There is a need for systematic and ongoing training in breastfeeding and infant feeding counselling in the context of HIV, so that breastfeeding is not undermined by the current HIV pandemic, and exclusive breastfeeding continues to be promoted for all HIV-uninfected women, women of unknown status, and HIV-infected women who choose to breastfeed.

Members of Child Health Group: M. Bennish, A. Coutsoudis, H. M. Coovadia, A. Goga, M. L. Newell, G. Solarsh and J. Van den Broeck.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.