Knowledge, Attitudes and Participation in Breastfeeding Promotion of Village Health Volunteers

Abstract

Exclusive breastfeeding can be sustainably practiced when postpartum mothers are well supported by their family members and communities, as well as health providers and Village Health Volunteers (VHVs), who play roles in providing basic health care for community members, including postpartum mothers. This descriptive correlational research was aimed at studying the knowledge, attitudes, and participation of VHVs regarding promoting breastfeeding and their correlations. The sample consisted of 288 VHVs practicing in the Muang district of Udon Thani Province, Thailand who were recruited using stratified random sampling.  Data were collected using three questionnaires related to their knowledge about, attitudes toward, and participation in promoting breastfeeding.  The questionnaires met reliability standards having a KR20 = .69 and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient = .81 and 93, respectively.  Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product-moment correlations. The results revealed that VHVs had a moderate level of knowledge (72.86%) and a high level of attitude (M = 4.12, SD = 0.57) which was a more positive attitude towards breastfeeding.  They also participated in promoting breastfeeding at a high level (M = 3.82, SD = 0.74).  There was a statistically significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude, r (286) = .47, p < .01, but there were not enough data to support that either of the variables were correlated with the promotion of breastfeeding. The results of this research can be utilized for planning educational materials and programs about breastfeeding to increase the positive attitudes of VHVs and improve their ability to assess, provide counseling, help, and refer breastfeeding postpartum mothers.