Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Breast-Feeding Among Female Health Care Workers in Tertiary Care Hospitals

Objectives: To study breast-feeding knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) and factors that affect breast-feeding among female health workers in Abha City, Southwestern Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to interview 151 female health care workers at Abha Maternity and Aseer Central Hospitals who had a child, aged five years or less during January through March 2010. Results: The Saudi national were 83 (55%). Forty seven (31%) started breast-feeding within half an hour of delivery, twenty four (15.9%) breast fed up to 6 months. Work-related problems were the main reason for stopping breast-feeding in 69 of them (45.7%). The intention to breast-feed and to attend workshops addressing breast-feeding issues were 86.1% and 97.7%, respectively. Conclusions: This study highlights some of the important issues related to breast-feeding knowledge, attitude and practice among female health care worker. There is lack of fulfilling the WHO ten steps initiative for proper breast-feeding among female health care workers in tertiary care hospitals of Abha City.