Breast-feeding education and practice in family medicine.
BACKGROUND
Physician support has been shown to increase breast-feeding rates, but anecdotal reports suggest that physicians are ill prepared for their role in breast-feeding promotion. Inadequate breast-feeding education during residency training may be a contributing factor.


METHODS
A self-administered questionnaire mailed to 1099 family medicine residents and 665 recently board-certified family physicians assessed knowledge, attitudes, education, and activity related to breast-feeding promotion. Response rates were 71% for residents and 58% for physicians.


RESULTS
Although residents and physicians were strongly convinced that family physicians should be involved in breast-feeding promotion, both groups demonstrated significant deficits in knowledge about breast-feeding benefits and clinical management strategies. Common errors included inappropriate recommendations for breast-feeding termination or formula supplementation, a proven cause of breast-feeding failure. Personal breast-feeding experience was the only factor consistently associated with more frequent breast-feeding promotion activity among residents and increased self-confidence for both groups. Respondents reported only limited opportunities for developing breast-feeding counseling skills during residency training.


CONCLUSIONS
Improved breast-feeding education is needed for family medicine residents and physicians. Residency training and continuing education programs should emphasize the benefits of breast-feeding, clinical management strategies, and development of practical counseling skills.
Freed
G L
GL
Division of Community Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7590.
Clark
S J
SJ
Curtis
P
P
Sorenson
J R
JR
D001942:Breast Feeding; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D014931:Women, Working