Effect of Intervention on Awareness of Appropriate Infant Feeding Practices Among Undergraduate Women Students in an Urban and Taluka Area of Karnataka State in India

Abstract

Introduction: Awareness of advantages of breast feeding and infant feeding practices among young women would help in optimal feeding of future children. Aim: To assess the awareness and to determine the effect of intervention on the knowledge of infant feeding practices among undergraduate women students in an urban and taluka area of Karnataka state in India. Materials and Methods: An interventional study was conducted among 634 females in final year of college of an urban and taluka area. Their knowledge of breastfeeding and infant feeding was assessed followed by an interactive session on the advantages of breastfeeding and appropriate feeding of infants. A follow-up assessment of their knowledge was done after two weeks. Results: We observed that the mean scores among the students improved from mean of 21.23 (S D ± 4.19) to mean of 30.37 (S D ± 3.42) after the intervention and this difference was found to be statistically significant p < 0.001. The domain wise scores also showed improvement except among taluka students in domain related to initiation of feeds. Conclusion: Knowledge regarding infant feeding practices among young women in college is inadequate. This can be improved in a significant way by including a health educational session on the same.

Keywords

• breastfeeding
• health education
• knowledge