In a career oriented society where both males and females are providing for their families, breastfeeding is considered a less convenient method to feed a baby. In the USA those with some college education are not that much different in their breastfeeding rates from those with lesser education but are substantially less that college graduates. The mother’s age and educational level plus choice of feeding by the father of the baby are important influences on infant feeding method. Goals within Healthy People 2010, a national prevention initiative to improve the health of all Americans, emphasize the importance of early and continued breastfeeding for the health of infants. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the knowledge of breastfeeding and the attitudes towards breastfeeding among male and female traditional-age college students (ages 18 – 21) at a four year comprehensive university in the north-central USA as measured on the Infant Feeding Survey. This tool includes demographic questions, 5 point Likert Scale attitude survey, and multiple choice knowledge questions about breastfeeding. A convenience sample of 100 men and women college students will be obtained. Results will be analyzed through descriptive statistics of the demographics, attitude scores, and knowledge scores for the men and the women by age groups, correlation coefficients for the knowledge level and attitudes towards breastfeeding among males and among females, and t-test of the differences between males and females on knowledge and on attitudes. Theoretically the higher the knowledge score, the more positive the attitude towards breastfeeding. College students are actively preparing for their futures so it is an optimal time of influence to increase breastfeeding knowledge and improve attitudes towards breastfeeding.
Session #1222 - Undergraduate Submissions
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)