Impact of lactation management education on health professionals.
BACKGROUND
In 1992, Kenyatta National Hospital Lactation Management Education Centre (KNH LME) was establised in collaboration with the University of Nairobi (UoN) and the Ministry of Health (MoH). The aim of the programme was to train multidisciplinary teams of health professionals in lactation management education.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the performance of doctors, nurses and nutritionists on lactation management education, before and after exposure to the programme.


METHODS
A descriptive analysis of the pre and post test performance of doctors, nurses and nutritionists on lactation management education.


METHODS
Two hundred and twenty nine health professionals, comprising one hundred and thirty eight nurses, fifty six nutritionists, and thirty five doctors.


RESULTS
The performance of all participants improved significantly (p = <.000) between the pre and post test scores from a mean score of 54.0% in pre test, to a mean score of 72.0% in the post test.


CONCLUSIONS
Adequate lactation management education content should be included in all preservice medical curricula for all health professionals. In addition, an update of emerging issues in lactation management education must be sustained, in all health institutions as part of continuing education for inservice health professionals.
Mirie
W
W
University of Nairobi, College of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing Sciences, Kenya.
D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*