Determinants of Exclusive Breastfeeding Intention in Pregnant Women in Birjand in 2020: Application of Integrated Behavioral Model

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life is the best nutritional option for the growth and developmentof infants. EBF has a unique biological and emotional effectonthe health of the infant and mother. Despite this, the prevalence of EBF is lower than the standard recommended by theWorld Health Organization (WHO). Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding’ intention based on the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) in pregnant women living in Birjand. Methods: Following a descriptive-analytical design, 292 pregnant women referred to health centers of Birjand (Iran) in 2020 were recruited. Sampling was performed using the multistage cluster random technique. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire based on the constructs of IBM. Analyses were conducted by SPSS-19 using Pearson correlation and regression analysis at the significance level of P 0.05. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between EBF intention and the mean value of different constructs of IBM (P 0.001). According to the results of regression analysis, perceived self-efficacy, experiential attitude, and injunctive norm could predict EBF intentions (R^2 = 0.58). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that a considerable part of the changes relevant to EBF intention could be predicted by the constructs of the integrated behavioral model. Hence, using this model to analyze other health behaviors is a promising option.