Scholarlink

Background <p>Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months is strongly recommended by the World Health Organization and India’s Mothers’ Absolute Affection (MAA) programme. Despite sustained promotion efforts, disparities in maternal knowledge, attitudes, and enabling environments persist between urban and rural settings, influencing optimal breastfeeding practices.</p> Aim <p>To compare knowledge and attitudes toward exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers in urban and rural areas of Bhubaneswar, India, and to identify socio-demographic factors associated with these outcomes.</p> Materials and methods <p>A community-based cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among 200 primiparous mothers (100 urban and 100 rural). A convenience sampling technique was used to recruit the participants. Knowledge was measured using a validated structured questionnaire with reliability confirmed by the split-half method, while attitudes were assessed using a five-point Likert scale demonstrating strong internal consistency. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Associations with socio-demographic variables were examined using chi-square tests, while independent sample t-tests compared mean knowledge and attitude scores. Pearson’s correlation assessed the relationship between knowledge and attitude, and multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify socio-demographic predictors, using SPSS version 28.1.</p> Results <p>Urban-rural differences were observed in socio-demographic characteristics, breastfeeding intentions, and outcomes. Urban mothers were older, more educated, and had higher employment and income levels, while rural mothers more often reported secondary education and government-affiliated work. Although exclusive breastfeeding was preferred in both groups. Urban mothers showed a higher proportion of “good” knowledge and significantly greater mean knowledge scores (15.27 ± 2.79) than rural mothers (13.85 ± 1.88) (t = 4.217; df = 198; 95% CI 0.77-2.08; p = 0.001). Attitude scores were also higher among urban mothers (72.06 ± 4.86) compared with rural mothers (64.06 ± 6.28) (t = 10.06; df = 198; 95% CI 6.43-9.56; p = 0.001). Knowledge and attitude were not significantly correlated, and age and education predicted knowledge only among urban mothers.</p> Conclusion <p>The findings underscore the need for context-specific breastfeeding promotion strategies. Strengthening community-based counselling and peer-support mechanisms in rural areas and enhancing workplace lactation support, maternity protection, and targeted counselling in urban settings may help improve EBF outcomes.</p> Public Health Significance <p>Tailoring breastfeeding interventions to urban–rural contexts can address persistent gaps in knowledge and attitudes and support improved infant nutrition in India and similar low- and middle-income settings.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Comparative assessment of knowledge and attitudes toward exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers in urban and rural areas of Bhubaneswar, India

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月25日

查看全文
  • Rubi Pradhan,
  • Pravati Tripathy,
  • Debasish Nanda,
  • Sumitra Jena,
  • Ayantika Chandra,
  • Krishna Kumari Samantaray,
  • N. Siva

摘要

Background

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months is strongly recommended by the World Health Organization and India’s Mothers’ Absolute Affection (MAA) programme. Despite sustained promotion efforts, disparities in maternal knowledge, attitudes, and enabling environments persist between urban and rural settings, influencing optimal breastfeeding practices.

Aim

To compare knowledge and attitudes toward exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers in urban and rural areas of Bhubaneswar, India, and to identify socio-demographic factors associated with these outcomes.

Materials and methods

A community-based cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among 200 primiparous mothers (100 urban and 100 rural). A convenience sampling technique was used to recruit the participants. Knowledge was measured using a validated structured questionnaire with reliability confirmed by the split-half method, while attitudes were assessed using a five-point Likert scale demonstrating strong internal consistency. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Associations with socio-demographic variables were examined using chi-square tests, while independent sample t-tests compared mean knowledge and attitude scores. Pearson’s correlation assessed the relationship between knowledge and attitude, and multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify socio-demographic predictors, using SPSS version 28.1.

Results

Urban-rural differences were observed in socio-demographic characteristics, breastfeeding intentions, and outcomes. Urban mothers were older, more educated, and had higher employment and income levels, while rural mothers more often reported secondary education and government-affiliated work. Although exclusive breastfeeding was preferred in both groups. Urban mothers showed a higher proportion of “good” knowledge and significantly greater mean knowledge scores (15.27 ± 2.79) than rural mothers (13.85 ± 1.88) (t = 4.217; df = 198; 95% CI 0.77-2.08; p = 0.001). Attitude scores were also higher among urban mothers (72.06 ± 4.86) compared with rural mothers (64.06 ± 6.28) (t = 10.06; df = 198; 95% CI 6.43-9.56; p = 0.001). Knowledge and attitude were not significantly correlated, and age and education predicted knowledge only among urban mothers.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the need for context-specific breastfeeding promotion strategies. Strengthening community-based counselling and peer-support mechanisms in rural areas and enhancing workplace lactation support, maternity protection, and targeted counselling in urban settings may help improve EBF outcomes.

Public Health Significance

Tailoring breastfeeding interventions to urban–rural contexts can address persistent gaps in knowledge and attitudes and support improved infant nutrition in India and similar low- and middle-income settings.