Exploring infant feeding explicit and implicit bias among healthcare professionals

Bias among healthcare professionals (HCPs) may shape infant feeding recommendations and influence maternal decision-making, with consequences for maternal and infant health. This study assessed implicit and explicit infant feeding attitudes among HCPs in the UK and Ireland using an online cross-sectional survey (n = 66). Demographic information was collected, implicit attitudes were measured with the Infant Feeding Implicit Association Test, and explicit attitudes with the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale. D-scores ranged from -0.88 to 0.46, indicating a general implicit bias favouring breastfeeding over bottle-feeding. Explicit attitudes were also broadly pro-breastfeeding (scores 52-85). No significant correlation was found between implicit and explicit attitudes, suggesting they may operate independently. HCPs of older age (r = 0.252, p < 0.05) and those currently breastfeeding or pregnant (r = -0.293, p < 0.05) exhibited pro-breastfeeding attitudes. Future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms and the impact of these biases on actual breastfeeding practices.