THE BREASTFEEDING EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS OF THE FACULTY OF PHARMACY AND BIOCHEMISTRY IN ZAGREB

Catipovic M.*, Hrgovic Z., Fehir Sola K., Vladimir-Knezevic S., Fures R., Grguric J., Jaska S.

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to examine the knowledge, attitudes and intentions of the students of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Chemistry and the effectiveness of structured breastfeeding education on positive changes. The research was carried out as part of the "Breastfeeding Friends Universities and Polytechnics" and "Breastfeeding Friendship Pharmacies" projects. The experimental group consisted of 27 students of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry in Zagreb, year 5, and a control group of 30 students at the Polytechnic of Bjelovar, nursing course, year I. A structured breastfeeding training was carried out with the experimental group, which is part of the course ―Friends of Breastfeeding Pharmacies‖. Testing the normality of the distribution of results and the impact of outliers allowed the use of parametric statistical procedures. Results The paired samples t-test confirmed the positive effects of education in the experimental group, the total score on the BIAKQ questionnaire improved by 79.48 points (t (26) = 25.24, p = 0.00). However, even after the education with intentions (t (55) = 0.57, p = 0.57) and the total results (t (55) = -1.55, p = 0.13) on the BIAKQ questionnaire, students of the experimental group did not achieve statistically significantly better results compared to control group. A one-time, even several-day education consisting of lectures and workshops is sufficient to improve the intentions, attitudes and knowledge of pharmacy students, but to equate with the level of intentions and overall results on the BIAKQ questionnaire of other health professionals (nursing students), longer continuing education is required. Weak correlation after knowledge education with attitudes (r (25) = -0.06 p <0.05) and intentions (r (25) = -0.00 p <0.05) and overall results (r (25) = - 0.00 p <0.05). points to the conclusion that changes in intention and attitude are conditioned by action and other factors, not just by a change in knowledge.

Keywords: breastfeeding, educatiom.