Knowledge, attitude and practices of infant feeding among mothers in rural field practice area of vantamuri primary health centre, Belgaum – A cross sectional study

• Main Authors: Baburaddi M. Kengalagutti, M.S. Shivaswamy, Ashwini .B. Narasannavar, A. Mubashir, S. Ashutosh, B. Bijendra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Al Ameen Medical College 2015-01-01
• Series: Al Ameen Journal of Medical Sciences
• Subjects: Knowledge; attitude; practice; mothers; exclusive breast feeding (EBF)
• Online Access: http://ajms.alameenmedical.org/ArticlePDFs/5%20AJMS%20V8.N1.2015%20p%2016-21.pdf

Background: Breastfeeding is considered as the most economical and easily accessible complete nutrition for every new born child. Knowledge, attitude and practices associated with infant feeding forms an essential ‘need felt’ for the intervention program designed to bring about positive behavioural change in infant health. Objective: to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of infant feeding among infant mothers. Methodology: This is community based cross-sectional study conducted in Vantamuri PHC area with the sample size of 401mothers. Percentage and chi-square test was applied for statistical analysis. Results: In this study, only 9.23% of mothers had good knowledge about infant feeding while majority of mothers (79.05%) had average knowledge. Others had poor knowledge about the same. 22.44% of mothers had highly positive attitude towards infant feeding while majority (59.6%) had average attitude. 17.96% of mothers had poor attitude towards the same. Regarding practice, 13.97% of mothers did good practice, 7.73% of mothers practiced negatively and majority (78.3%) were on an average. Conclusion: The breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and practices about infant feeding are suboptimal among infant mothers and those who were well informed, do not practice it willingly.