Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the "AprendeLact" questionnaire to Portuguese

Breast milk is the optimal nourishment a mother can provide for her child. Although many mothers aspire to breastfeed, such efforts necessitate support and guidance from qualified healthcare professionals.

Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the "AprendeLact" Questionnaire on Breastfeeding Knowledge into Portuguese METHODS: A cross-sectional validation study involving translation, content validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency was conducted. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed on sociodemographic variables and questionnaire outcomes. Fifty-seven undergraduate nursing and postgraduate maternal and obstetric health students from the Coimbra School of Nursing were randomly selected through cluster sampling.

The results demonstrated high internal consistency (Kuder-Richardson formula 20 [KR-20] = 0.87) and excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.899). The average score achieved was 12.246 ± 5.23 points. The highest-scoring item was number 6, related to "colostrum," while the lowest-scoring item was number 5, which assessed the "utility of the e-lactancia website."

The "AprendeLact" questionnaire was cross-culturally adapted and validated into Portuguese for undergraduate nursing and postgraduate maternal and obstetric health students. Findings revealed limited breastfeeding knowledge among the students, particularly regarding practical aspects. Factors associated with higher levels of knowledge included being female, being in the final years of a bachelor's degree, participating in clinical placements related to breastfeeding, attending training activities, engaging in breastfeeding support groups, or having been breastfed as a child.