Health Care Professionals' Attitudes, Knowledge and Confidence on Breastfeeding : Metropolitan Areas of South Korea

Kim, Hea Sook

doi:1995.1.2.243

J Korean Acad Women Health Nurs > Volume 1(2); 1995 > Article

Original Article

Journal of Korean Academy of Women's Health Nursing 1995;1(2):243-253.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.1995.1.2.243

Health Care Professionals' Attitudes, Knowledge and Confidence on Breastfeeding : Metropolitan Areas of South Korea

Hea Sook Kim

College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

A 15-minute questionnaire on breast-feeding was administered to the obstetric and pediatric residents and nurses in metropolitan academic training programs in Korea to assess their attitudes to and knowledge about breast-feeding and their confidence in managing breast-feeding problems. The questionnaires were self-administered and confidential and the participants was 279. Overall, the study participants indicated a supportive attitude toward breast-feeding. Nurses had a highest supportive attitude than obstetric and pediatric residents. Their self-confidence in this area was inappropriately high with 48% of total, 49% of obstetric, 42% of pediatric and58% of nurses describing themselves as "confident" or "very confident" to manage common breast-feeding problems to compare their knowledge level answering only 46% of the questions correctly. However, nurses who did have continuing education about breast-feeding had significantly high in knowledge level. These health care professionals have extremely limited knowledge of breast-feeding management compared to their reported confidence. To be truly supportive of breast-feeding, health care professionals should receive didactic and clinical training to breast-feeding management.