Evaluation of the Relationship between Health Literacy and Breastfeeding Performance of Mothers with Infants Admitted to Fatemiyeh Hospital in Hamadan

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Health literacy is one of the key consequences of health education programs in the field of breastfeeding performance and mother's self-care. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between health literacy and breastfeeding performance of mothers with newborns admitted to Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan 2022. Materials and Methods: This research was a cross-sectional descriptive analytical study that was conducted on 210 mothers with neonate, using available sampling method. Data collection tools included maternal health literacy questionnaire, Bristol breastfeeding assessment checklist and breastfeeding self-efficacy questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential tests. Results: According to the results, the mean and standard deviation of the self-efficacy score, health literacy and breastfeeding performance of the mother were 117.09 (28.08), 43.74 (8.57) and 7.34 (0.87), respectively. A significant relationship was observed between health literacy and mothers' self-efficacy, mothers' performance and self-efficacy, and mothers' performance and health literacy (P < 0.05). Conclusions: According to the results of the study, it is suggested that in educational interventions related to breastfeeding, information and training should be provided to mothers in a way that is easy for them to understand and they can easily understand the received information.

Keywords

• health literacy
• self-efficiency
• breastfeeding performance
• infants