Assessment of parents’ attitudes and perspectives related to school-based breastfeeding education in Lebanon

Abstract

Background: School-based breastfeeding education (SBBE) may help increase breastfeeding rates in the long run by targeting the young generation’s knowledge and attitudes towards breastfeeding. Breastfeeding rates in Lebanon are suboptimal in part due to negative attitudes and misinformation. While recent evidence suggests Lebanese schools offer limited SBBE, high school teachers at two large Lebanese schools seemed keen to receive training and incorporate SBBE into their classes. Determinants of their students’ breastfeeding intentions have been identified, but the need to assess parents’ consent and perspectives to implement SBBE was raised by school leadership. This study was conducted to determine the attitudes and perspectives towards SBBE of parents of the previously-studied students. Methods: Using a mixed methods approach, we administering a survey to 165 parents to collect data on demographics, breastfeeding history, and attitudes towards both breastfeeding and SBBE. We then conducted phone interviews with a sub-set of 66 parents for an in-depth investigation of supports and constraints towards SBBE. Results: Most participants were mothers of which 86% have ever breastfed. Almost all parents (97%) reported that they would encourage their children to breastfeed in the future. 61% reported that their children are not receiving SBBE, and 85% approved that children should be learning mainly from teachers supported by health professionals. Six major themes emerged from the interviews which highlighted the need to engage male and female students in SBBE, to engage parents in the learning process through voluntary participation in interactive teaching events, and to create parent-school partnerships to expand monitored access of students to internet-based and laboratory-focused educational methods. Conclusion: Most parents supported implementation of interactive, gender-inclusive, and technology-advanced SBBE. Future studies need to confirm or refute our findings, limited by small sample size.