INFLUENCE OF INFORMATION SOURCES ON KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING AMONG NURSING MOTHERS IN MINNA, NIGER STATE

ABSTRACT

Over time information concerning exclusive breastfeeding has been passed to nursing mothers. This suggests that several information sources such as healthcare personnel’s or hospital attendants, family and friends, facebook, television, radio, newspaper have been used as an important source of communication to nursing mothers. The problem of this study was to investigate the influence of information source on knowledge, attitude and practice of exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers in Minna, Niger State.

The study employed the agenda setting theory, the social learning theory and the health belief model as foundations. It equally used the survey method, using questionnaire as research instrument. The study population consisted of nursing mothers attending postnatal care and health talks in 33 health care centers. Simple random sampling technique was used. The sample size was (N=422). All data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics which was used to discuss five research questions and five hypotheses.

The study revealed that the hospital attendants were rated the highest well known information source, while others such as facebook had the lowest rating. Television, newspaper, radio, family and friends were rated averagely. Most nursing mothers also indicated that they came across messages on exclusive breastfeeding a month and above. They also thought that there was need for improvement.The study also revealed that television, handbills, newspaper, hospital attendants, someone significantly influenced the knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding, while radio did not. All information sources except television did not influence attitude towards exclusive breastfeeding. Also handbills and newspapers did not significantly influence practice of exclusive breastfeeding, while others did.

The study concluded that other information source such as facebook, television, radio, newspaper and family and friends need to be improved upon. The study also recommended that stake holders such as government, media organisations, WHO, UNICEF, need to provide more frequent access to this exclusive breastfeeding information, that way a lot of changes can occur in the practice of exclusive breastfeeding.

Keywords: Exclusive breastfeeding, Information Sources, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

New born children in many African households, especially in Nigeria receive less commitment of being exclusively breastfed by their mothers. A news report stated mothers have many reasons why they do not exclusively breastfeed; one of such is twin births, myths such as fear for loss of sexual appeal, sagged breasts and fear of infecting their new born children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).(Business Hallmark Newspaper, 2015; Sina, 2016).Other reasons that may stop mothers from exclusively breastfeeding include, that  nursing mothers did not likely continue with exclusive breastfeeding for six months, influence of loved ones like aged grandmothers affect the mother’s practice of exclusive breastfeeding. This is because they usually insist on traditional practices which include, discarding of colostrums, giving infants water, animal milk, pap, infant formula, honey, herbal preparations and also washings from quoranic inscriptions believed to be medicinal (Agunbaide & Ogunleye, 2012; Moisse, 2011; Umar & Oche, 2013). These practices can lead to an infant’s malnourished state, and may even lead to death if they are not properly managed.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2003), made it known that inappropriate breastfeeding practices contribute strongly to high mortality rate among children under the age of five. In the same vein, Veneman (2008) collaborated this, during the celebration of world breastfeeding week at Abuja, when she defined breastfeeding as a key tool in improving child survival in this world. She further stated that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life can avert up to 13% 0f children under the age of five deaths in developing countries, This implies that exclusive breastfeeding to a large extent determines the health of an infant.

Nigeria demographic health survey (2008) in the view of evaluating the state of health stated Nigeria to have the highest number of stunted children in the continent and ranks third globally with more than ten million stunted children.  Alexandra (2016) said the main indicator for malnutrition is stunting. Stunting is very much prevalent in Niger state. He also stated that Niger state accounts for the prevalence of stunting as 34%, underweight at 11% and wasting at 18% in children less than five years. This means that a large percentage of children under five years have symptoms of malnourishment in Niger state. This could be as a result of not been exclusively breastfed by their mothers, since breast milk offers all the nutrients needed, malnutrition sets in when the baby is not exclusively breastfed.