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[School girls' perception and knowledge about breastfeeding].
Soraia S Nakamura1, Kledione F Veiga, Sany R B Ferrarese
1School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Jornal De Pediatria
|September 23, 2003
Summary
School-aged girls recognize breastfeeding as beneficial but lack knowledge of exclusive practices. Educational interventions are needed to improve understanding of breastfeeding
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Sociology
Context:
- Investigated perception and knowledge of breastfeeding among school-aged girls from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Utilized a structured questionnaire administered to 346 girls (grades 4-8) in private (upper-class) and public (lower-class) schools.
Purpose:
- To compare the perception and knowledge of breastfeeding between school-aged girls from different social strata.
- To identify gaps in understanding regarding the benefits and practices of exclusive breastfeeding.
Summary:
- While most girls acknowledge breastfeeding as the best infant nutrition, specific advantages are not well understood.
- Exclusive breastfeeding practices and appropriate infant feeding (avoiding pacifiers and supplements) were not widely adopted in simulated play.
- A significant proportion expressed discomfort with public breastfeeding, indicating potential social barriers.
Impact:
- Findings highlight the need for targeted school-based education to enhance comprehensive breastfeeding knowledge.
- Results suggest that socioeconomic status may influence certain perceptions, though general awareness of breastfeeding's importance is high.
- Interventions should address misconceptions about exclusive breastfeeding and promote positive attitudes towards public breastfeeding.