Vaccination News Home Page

http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/110/5/e59

Full Text of this Article Reprint (PDF) Version of this Article P3Rs: Submit a response to this article Similar articles found in: Pediatrics Online PubMed PubMed Citation Search Medline for articles by: Hillenbrand, K. M. || Larsen, P. G. Alert me when: new articles cite this article   Download to Citation Manager

Collections under which this article appears: Nutrition & Metabolism

PEDIATRICS Vol. 110 No. 5 November 2002, pp. e59

 

Effect of an Educational Intervention About Breastfeeding on the Knowledge, Confidence, and Behaviors of Pediatric Resident Physicians

Karin M. Hillenbrand, MD and Pamela G. Larsen, DrPH, DNSc, FNP

From the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina

Objective. Breastfeeding is the preferred nutrition for infants, but many pediatricians report inadequate training to advise mothers who breastfeed. This study was designed to examine the effect of an educational intervention on pediatric residents’ knowledge about breastfeeding, their confidence in addressing lactation issues, and their management skills during clinical encounters with breastfeeding mothers.

Design. An interactive multimedia curricular intervention was designed for pediatric residents to increase their knowledge about common lactation issues. The residents completed questionnaires before and after the intervention to measure knowledge and confidence. Resident behaviors in the clinical setting were measured before and after the intervention using telephone surveys of breastfeeding mothers after a clinic visit with a pediatric resident.

Results. Forty-nine pediatric residents participated in the study. Mean knowledge scores increased from 69% before the intervention to 80% after the intervention. Significant increases in knowledge included advising mothers about low milk supply, mastitis, abscess, or using medication, and in recognizing the benefit of the decreased risk of maternal cancer. Management skills with breastfeeding mothers and infants in the clinical setting improved significantly. Before the intervention residents performed an acceptable number of behaviors 22% of the time, while after the intervention their performance was acceptable 65% of the time. Particular behaviors that showed significant improvement after the intervention included discussing signs of breastfeeding adequacy with the mother and correct management of lactation problems.

Conclusions. These results indicate that not only breastfeeding knowledge and confidence, but most importantly clinical behaviors of pediatric residents can be enhanced through innovative educational opportunities. Appropriate counseling for breastfeeding mothers by pediatricians might contribute to an increase in the duration of breastfeeding.

Key Words: breastfeeding • education • medical • internship and residency • lactation

Received for publication Apr 22, 2002; accepted Jul 25, 2002.

Copyright © 2002 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. [Disclaimer]

Vaccination News Home Page

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.