Exploring the latitude of attitude: Intentions to breastfeed among adolescents in Lebanese schools. Issue 1 (4th September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moukarzel, Sara; Abou Jaoudeh, Maya; Farhat, Antoine; Saade, Marianne; Mamas, Christoforos; Daly, Alan J.
• Is Part Of: Maternal and child nutrition. Volume 16:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-09-04
• Subjects: adolescents -- attitude -- breastfeeding -- education -- schools -- theory of planned behaviour; Children -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Infants -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Pregnancy -- Nutritional aspects -- Periodicals; Breastfeeding -- Periodicals; 363.8083
• DOI: 10.1111/mcn.12888
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-8695

Abstract

Abstract: School‐based breastfeeding education (SBBE) may help improve breastfeeding rates in the long‐term by targeting children and adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, skills, and intentions. Breastfeeding rates in Lebanon are suboptimal. Psychosocial drivers of breastfeeding intention among the youth are unknown. We administered a survey to 658 high school students (448 females; 210 males) at two large Lebanese schools to understand intentions, intention drivers, and views on SBBE as means to guide SBBE programme design on the basis of the theory of planned behaviour. We collected information on demographics, intention to breastfeed/support wife to breastfeed future. Intention was predicted by attitude related to breastfeeding health outcomes and family normative beliefs— χ 2 (25) = 115, P < .001 for males, and χ 2 (39.3) = 186, P < .001 for females. Among females, intention was also positively associated with being breastfed, higher socio‐economic status, and being more accepting of public breastfeeding. Seventy‐eight per cent of students felt they were not learning enough about breastfeeding in school but were interested in SBBE through didactic teaching methods and interactive experiences. Findings indicate that breastfeeding intention among adolescent students is not merely influenced by the extent of knowledge but by more complicated psychosocial drivers that may differ by gender. Our findings also suggest a misalignment exists between what schools are providing with what students feel they need, thereby opening up a potential space for intervention.