Effectiveness of an intervention to improve breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes among adolescents

Background: Breastfeeding constitutes a priority in Public Health due to the multiple benefits it offers. The decision to breastfeed is usually made before pregnancy, and therefore it is important to include adolescents in breastfeeding promotion programs. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a programme to improve knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding among teenager. Methods: Pretest-posttest randomized controlled study, carried out in 2008 in Tenerife. 970 teenagers participated (14,6 +/- 0.9 years), 506 experimental group (EG) and 524 control group (CG). Before the intervention and 4 weeks after, students completed a questionnaire to evaluate their knowledge and attitudes towards breastfeeding. The performed intervention consisted of: a talk, video projection, informative leaflets, narrative short stories and role-play activities. Chi-square test, student's t-test, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, repeated measures variance analysis and covariance analysis were used. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding knowledge (EG: 3.9 +/- 1.5, CG: 3.8 +/- 1.5) or attitudes towards breastfeeding, before the intervention. The same applies when compared by gender, school year, parents' occupation and type of school. The post-intervention questionnaire showed a significant increase in the level of knowledge of students from EG (EG: 6.9 +/- 1.5, CG: 4.4 +/- 1.8; p < 0.001) as well as a higher percentage of positive attitudes towards breastfeeding (GE: 71.13 +/- 28.5, GC: 54.27 +/- 28.9, p<0,001). Covariance analysis showed a significant effect (p<0,05) on attitudes towards breastfeeding of the variables gender and previous contact with breastfeeding. Conclusions: The educational program carried out is effective as a method to improve knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding among teenagers.