Accessible summary
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Mothers’ milk is the best source of nutrition for infants. Infant benefits from receiving mother’s milk include neurological and cognitive development, as well as physical, physiological, immunological and emotional development.
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Although approximately half of the schizophrenic women become mothers today, the issue of breastfeeding in this population is often overlooked. To date, there are no studies about the health-care staff approaches to this issue.
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It has been shown that the attitudes of nurses play an important role in educating and counselling mothers, and is likely to have a significant influence on the their decision whether to breastfeed.
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The aim of this study was to survey the attitudes of nurses in southern Israel about breastfeeding by schizophrenic women. The study found that 70% of nurses hold positive attitudes towards breastfeeding among women with schizophrenia, at least on the declarative level. The results of the survey indicate that nurses can support and guide the mother with schizophrenia and her infant, for whom it is safe and appropriate to breastfeed.
Abstract
Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for infants. Approximately half of women with schizophrenia become mothers, yet the issue of breastfeeding is often overlooked by the health professional community. The aim of this study was to survey attitudes among registered nurses regarding breastfeeding by schizophrenic women. Cross-sectional descriptive design was used involving a sample of nurses (40 midwives, 37 psychiatric and 33 postpartum) in two medical centres in southern Israel. The validated semistructured questionnaire included sociodemographic and professional questions, personal and professional breastfeeding experience, attitudes and knowledge concerning schizophrenia and attitudes towards breastfeeding by schizophrenic women. The study results indicate that 70% of the respondents held positive attitudes towards breastfeeding in women with schizophrenia, although no significant differences were found between the different types of nurses. Multivariate analysis reveals that academic education was the only variable associated with positive attitudes, while negative feelings towards women with schizophrenia, and extensive knowledge regarding schizophrenia were negatively associated. This study can serve as a foundation for future research to further examine nurses’ role in providing postpartum education and care for women with schizophrenia.