The evaluation of knowledge and activities of primary health care professionals in promoting breast-feeding.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and activities of Kaunas primary health care center professionals in promoting breast-feeding.


METHODS
A total of 84 general practitioners and 52 nurses participated in the survey, which was carried out in Kaunas primary health care centers in 2006. Data were gathered from the anonymous questionnaire.


RESULTS
Less than half of general practitioners (45.1%) and 65% of nurses were convinced that baby must be exclusively breast-fed until the age of 6 months, but only 21.6% of general practitioners and 27.5% of nurses knew that breast-feeding with complementary feeding should be continued until the age of 2 years and longer. Still 15.7% of general practitioners and 25% of nurses recommended pacifiers; 7.8% of general practitioners advised to breast-feed according to hours. Half of the health professionals recommended additional drinks between meals; one-third of them--to give complementary food for the babies before the age of 6 months. One-third (29.6%) of the health professionals surveyed recommended mothers to feed their babies more frequently in case the amount of breast milk decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
The survey showed that knowledge of medical personnel in primary health care centers about the advantages of breast-feeding, prophylaxis of hypogalactia, and duration of breast-feeding was still insufficient.
Laboratory for Social Pediatrics, Institute for Biomedicical Research, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eiveniu 2-515, Kaunas, Lithuania. giedralev@gmail.com
Giedra
G
Leviniene
Ausra
A
Petrauskiene
Egle
E
Tamuleviciene
Jolanta
J
Kudzyte
Liutauras
L
Labanauskas
D000367:Age Factors; D001942:Breast Feeding; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D041943:Infant Formula; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007775:Lactation Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D008097:Lithuania; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009726:Nurses; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires