New Mothers Are Not Getting The Right Breastfeeding Advice, UK
This innovative training package works on the principle that training is more effective when training needs are identified, including knowledge and skill deficits. CUBA is a unique breastfeeding knowledge assessment tool because it provides the ability to impartially rate and feedback an individual professional's level of competence, whilst providing the healthcare professional with video clips and clinical photographs of breastfeeding problems, to develop and test observational and problem solving skills.
"Our research has demonstrated that women need, and benefit from, professional help - not just when they start breastfeeding but also to help them continue," said Professor Louise Wallace, Director, Health Behaviour & Health Service Management Interventions programmes at Coventry University.
"In order to reach the Government's target of increasing breastfeeding initiation by 2% per year there needs to be proper training and assessment of the competence of healthcare professionals in delivering breastfeeding advice to new mothers. Testing breastfeeding skills and knowledge in this robust way is not available anywhere in the world. Access to training is very variable in the NHS, so we think that proper testing of skills to target training on those who most need could save the NHS money. We have also developed a learning package in a self study workbook, to meet the needs we know are out there in a cost effective way."
The workbook is a resource for pre and post registration health practitioners providing them with the curriculum component for meeting the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) best practice standards for the education of student midwives and health visitors.
CUBA and the Breastfeeding Workbook have been developed by Health Behaviour Research Ltd, a new Coventry University spin-out company which makes products developed from evidence based research available to users in the applied research field.
Existing research shows that the use of formula feeding over breastfeeding is a significant contributor to ill health and mortality of infants. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months has been identified to bestow the maximum health benefits for infants and their mothers, yet fewer than two thirds of those who initiate breastfeeding are still giving any breastmilk at six weeks and 10% of them are exclusively breastfeeding to 6 months.
-- Knowledge of breastfeeding policy, such as Government recommendations on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, was poorer among family doctors and paediatricians than health visitors and midwives. Most participants (63.1%) incorrectly endorsed four months as the advised minumum for breastfeeding duration, which previously had been UK Government advice. Similar figures are shown for current UK Government guidance on the minimum age for introduction of solids, where only (57.7%) of respondents gave the correct answer (six months). It is of concern that (15.5%) of respondents incorrectly endorsed three months and (14.8%) incorrectly endorsed four months, since introduction of solids too early can be harmful. Doctors, however, were no more knowledgeable Some 50.8% of family doctors and 47.5% of paediatricians identified a younger age for introducing solids than the minimum according to current Government guidance, yet too early weaning to solids could be harmful.
-- The research has been carried out by Coventry University's Applied Research Centre in Health and Lifestyle Interventions. Running parallel to the Centre's applied research work is the development of commercial activities. Professor Louise Wallace was awarded a Medici Fellowship in 2005-6, Dr Orla Dunn and Mrs Susan Law were awarded an Applied Research Fellowship which has enabled them to assess the commercial viability of health psychology driven interventions, to be commercialised via the spin-out company, Health Behaviour Research Limited.
-- For more information about the Applied Research Centre in Health and Lifestyle Interventions link here.
-- For more information about CUBA link here.
-- Nutrition and Nurture in Infancy and Childhood: Bio-Cultural Perspectives, is a three day international, interdisciplinary conference organised by the Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Nurture Unit (MAINN), Faculty of Health, University of Central Lancashire. The conference will take place on Monday 25th, Tuesday 26th & Wednesday 27th June 2007 at Grange over Sands, Cumbria.
New mamele nu sunt Noþiuni de bazã dreptul de alãpteazã sfaturi, Regatul Unit - New Mothers Are Not Getting The Right Breastfeeding Advice, UK - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate