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My People are Dying of Ignorance : Changes in Exclusive Breastfeeding Knowledge, Benefits, Barriers, and Misconceptions in Family Members Involved in a Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign
Author(s) -
Reinsma Kathryn,
Bolima Nancy,
Fonteh Florence,
Montgomery Susanne
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.133.1
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , breastfeeding promotion , ignorance , promotion (chess) , intervention (counseling) , population , test (biology) , health promotion , medicine , psychology , formative assessment , focus group , family medicine , nursing , environmental health , pediatrics , pedagogy , public health , paleontology , philosophy , epistemology , politics , political science , law , biology , marketing , business
Background Since 2003, WHO has recommended exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life. In the NW Region of Cameroon only 34% of women EBF for six months. Previous research indicates that family members positively influence women's breastfeeding practices, but are often excluded from breastfeeding promotion campaigns. Study Objective To design an Entertainment Education (EE) audio program to test the hypothesis that EE improves EBF knowledge, benefits, and decreases misconceptions and barriers among family members of breastfeeding women. Methods Formative research consisting of 12 semi‐structured interviews and 6 focus group discussions informed the content of an EE audio program using grounded theory. Differences in EBF knowledge, benefits, barriers and misconceptions between and within the control group and the intervention group were evaluated using pre‐and post‐tests and analyzed with Wilcoxon Sign Test and Mann‐Whitney statistical tests. Results The audio program significantly improved overall EBF knowledge and benefits and decreased misconceptions within the intervention group (p <. 05). Conclusion This study provided insight into family member's EBF knowledge, benefits, barriers, and false misconceptions and proved that an EE audio program is an effective method of providing breastfeeding education to this population.