International Journal of Collaborative Research on Internal Medicine & Public Health

Knowledge and Attitude towards Exclusive Breastfeed ing Practices among fathers who attend Primary Health Care Facilities in Suburban, Malaysia

Introduction: A father’s knowledge and attitude towards exclusiv e breastfeeding are very important factors that contribute to the success of exclusive breastfeeding practices.

Objectives: This study aims to compare knowledge and attitude r egarding breastfeeding between fathers whose child was exclusively vs. not exclusively breastfed.

Material and Method: A comparative cross sectional study was conducted o n 200 fathers. Convenient sampling was applied for the exclusive b reastfeeding group (cases) and systematic randomised sampling from an identified l ist with a ratio of 1:2 for the non- exclusive breastfeeding group (control). A self-adm inistered questionnaire on knowledge and attitudes with regards to exclusive breastfeeding p ractice was then distributed among these samplings. The sampling included the biological fat hers of a full-term and healthy singleton child of 6 months until 2 years of age. Participant s who were illiterate, diagnosed with psychiatric disorders or had children with congenit al disabilities, were excluded from the study.

Results: A total of 196 respondents completed this study. There was no significant difference of knowledge and attitude scores between fathers wh ose child was exclusively vs. not exclusively breastfed.

Conclusion: There was no difference in terms of knowledge and a ttitude of fathers between the exclusive vs. non-exclusive breastfeeding group .

Author(s): Noraini Mohamad, Nani Draman, Rosediani Muhamad, Harmy Mohamed Yusoff

Abstract | Full-Text | PDF

Share this