000			03190nam a22002897a 4500
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005			20240305193741.0
008			221130b |||||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
022			_a1472-6955
028			_b Phone: +255 28 298 3384
028			_b Fax: +255 28 298 3386
028			_b Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz
028			_b Website: www.bugando.ac.tz
040			_bEnglish _cDLC
041			_aEnglish
100			_aLucy E Chale _946292
222			_a Health workers Exclusive breastfeeding Knowledge Practices
245			_aPredictors of knowledge and practice of exclusive breastfeeding among health workers in Mwanza city, northwest Tanzania
260			_aMwanza, Tanzania: _bBioMed Central & _b Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS – Bugando] _c30 December 2016
300			_aPages 1-8
490			_vBMC nursing Volume 15 Issue 1
520			_aAbstract: Background: Universal exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months is estimated to reduce infant mortality by 13–15% (9 million) in resource poor countries. Although 97% of women initiate breastfeeding in Tanzania, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months remains below 50%. Accurate knowledge and practical skills pertaining to exclusive breastfeeding among health workers is likely to improve breastfeeding rates. Our study reports the health workers’ knowledge and practice on EBF in Mwanza City, northwest of Tanzania. Methods: One principal researcher and two research assistants conducted data collection from 11 June–6 July 2012. In total, 220 health care workers including: 64 clinicians (medical specialists, residents, registrars, assistant medical officers and clinical officers) and 156 nurses were interviewed using a structured knowledge questionnaire. Amongst 220 health workers, 106 were observed supporting Breastfeeding using a checklist. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding knowledge and desirable skills. Results: Almost half of the 220 health workers interviewed correctly described EBF as defined by the World Health Organization. Only 52 of 220 respondents had good knowledge. In the adjusted analysis, working at hospital facility level compared to dispensary (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.1–4.0, p-value = 0.032) and attending on job training (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.2–6.1, p-value = 0.015) were associated with better knowledge. In total, 38% of respondents had a desirable level of practical skills. Clinicians were more likely to have good practice (OR 3.6; 95% CI 1.2–10.8; p-value = 0.020) than nurses. Most of the health workers had no training on EBF, and were not familiar with breastfeeding policy. Conclusion: Less than 25% of healthcare workers surveyed had good knowledge of EBF. These findings identify the need for comprehensive training and mentoring of health workers on exclusive breastfeeding, making breastfeeding policies available and understood, along with supportive supervision and monitoring.
700			_aTanis R Fenton _946293
700			_aNeema Kayange _922515
856			_uhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-016-0192-0
942			_2ddc _cVM
999			_c19827 _d19827