ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to assess
the knowledge and attitude of female bankers toward the practice of
exclusive breast feeding in IkpobaOkha local government area in Benin
City, Edo state. The background of the study gave a general and
comprehensive introduction of the study, statement of the problem were
identified. The significance of the study was outlined and operational
definition of terms was included for proper understanding, scope of
study was also drawn out current related literature were reviewed and
theoretical framework that, is relevant lo the study that is discussed.
Questionnaires with open and closed ended questions were administered to
115 respondents and all were retrieved and a total of 100 that were
properly filled were analysed. Date was analyzed using frequency table,
percentages pie chart and bar charts. The discussion of result and
interpretation of findings were made. The results from the findings in
figure IV shows that 95 (95%) of the respondents have good knowledge
about exclusive breastfeeding while in figure IX only 15(15%) practices
exclusive Breastfeeding. From the above, it was observed that the
respondents have good knowledge about exclusive breastfeeding had no
influence on their poor attitude towards the practice of Exclusive
Breastfeeding. Other factors such as early resumption to duty and late
closing hour as seen in figure VII, XIX 98 (98%) and also lack of
support from colleagues in figure XIX 96 (96%) are other hindrances to
the effective practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding.
The findings result revealed that
female bankers have good knowledge about Exclusive Breastfeeding while
their attitude towards the practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding is very
poor. Recommendations and suggestion for further study were made.
KEYWORDS: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, EEMALE BANKERS, RACTICE OF EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING, IKPOBA OKHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BENIN CITY.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Breastfeeding is considered the most
complete nutritional source for infants, because, breast milk contains
the essential fats, carbohydrates, proteins and immunological factors
needed for infants to thrive and resist infection in the formative year.
Cardwell and Barry, 2004,
jones et al, 2003 in their analysis of child survival strategies,
identified exclusive breastfeeding from b to u months as the single most
effective preventive intervention in reducing child mortality with the
potential of saving 1.3 million infants uses annually.
Similary, leoan-cava et al
(2003), have observed that improved breast feeding practices are crucial
for child growth and development. However, advocate of breast feeding
have noticed that there have been steady decline due to the behaviour of
female bankers. This is particularly more pronounced in developing
countries, like Nigeria.
Wagner et al, (2005) have also
observed that despite all the recommendations by experts as regard
infants breast feeding for the first size months of life, a significant
percentage of mothers choose not to breastfeed. Work and family conflict
are the major concern to many, if not all, the most female bankers over
the world. Most of the banking institution continue to spend resources
in an attempt to help their staffs manage family duties and
responsibilities at work place; however, work and family boundary
(exclusive breastfeeding) have been the most challenging factor
associated with female bankers in ikpoba hill, Benin city (cooner 2002)
Some may be due to work factor like female bankers who spend more time in the office.
Results of studies conducted
in developing countries has shown that, nutritional deficiency and
growth retardation is a common occurrence amongst children between the
age of 3 and 15 months old, owing to sub optional breastfeeding and poor
complementary feeding practices (shrimptonetal 2001)
Parts of the efforts to promote inproved
breastfeeding practices focused on hospital norms and services,
legislations and institutional polices, health workers training, mass
media campains, peer counselling and educating, mother to mother support
and a combination of these strategies (Green,1999, till et al, 2004)
(Quinn et, al, 2005). Specifically, the United States agency for
international development (USAID) in 1996, issues a grant to the academy
for international development to design and implement a 10-years
program, known as the LINKAGES project, to improve breastfeeding
practices rapidly and at scare. Unluckily this has not yielded and
encouraging result. This is because in African countries, the national
rate for early initiation of breastfeeding were low, with Ghana having
the lowest rate (35%) following by Madagascar (34%)Quin et al, 2005) as
it has been ensured that safety, optimum growth, health survival of the
human infants; that duration of the breast feeding may also determine
the strength of mother/child born and attachment, yet exclusive breast
feeding is not being in full practices among female bankers because of
the long time they spend in the office, and non-provision of curech by
their management because of the risky environment where they work.
Breastfeeding decline significantly from
1900 to 1960 due to increasing negative attitude towards the practice
and the development of infant formulas under modern health centres,
human breast milks considered the healthiest form for milk for babies
because of its numerous advantages over artificial formulas (National
health services 2007).
Although breast feeding is
natural, the current instant feeding practice are far from optimum
because of lack of updated knowledge and training among medical and Para
medical personnel, misconception in the community, misformation by
infant food manufacturers and return to work, illness, breast
engorgement and mastitis havelead to exposure of infants to infections
like gastoententis and diorrhea which have resulted over a million death
annually worldwide (Ghai, 2008).
Due to the above reason, baby friendly
hospital initiative (BFHI) was launched in 199 as part of the “innocent
declaration of 1991 our promotion, protection and support of breast
feeding by WHO and UNICFE. Baby friendly hospital are conform to its ten
steps for successful implementation of breastfeeding in the context of
HIV, emergencies as well as expansion towards other type of health
facilities and the community to discourage the use of breast milk
substitute that and water within the first six months of infant life
(WHO,2012). This has shown that excusive breast feeding is beneficial to
babies, mothers, and even the community at large. However, it is a very
challenging task to engage in especially for bankers
This project intends to find out the
roles and practices of exclusive breast feeding among female bankers in
IkpobaOkhaL.G.A in Benin City Edo state who practices exclusive breast
feeding.
At the end of this study
recommendation will be made for the management of banks to provide a
conducive environment for the nursing mothers to keep their babies and
also reduce the working hours for them to be able to exclusively
breastfeed.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Despite the effort and strategies that
have been put in a place by WHO and UNICEF to increase awareness of
exclusive breastfeeding through baby friendly hospitals initiatives in
order to reduce complication associated with artificial feeding like
respiratory and gastro intestinal infections. It has been observed by
the researchers are still reluctant to practice exclusive breastfeeding
due to work factor and environment.
Hence, the question “what is the
knowledge and attitude of female bankers towards the attitude of
exclusive breast feeding in IkpobaOkha L.G.A Benin city
OBLECTIVES OF THE STUDY
- To assess the level of knowledge and the practice of exclusive breast feeding among female bankers.
- To ascertain the attitude of female bankers towards the exclusive breastfeeding.
- To find out the factors influencing the practice of exclusive breast feeding among female bankers.
- To ascertain the measures of improving exclusive breast feeding to banking industry.
SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
- It will generate dats concerning the breast feeding among female bankers
- Promote the wellbeing of the children of female bankers.
- To increase the knowledge of female bankers towards the awareness of
the benefits of exclusives breast feeding and suggest ways to overcome
these challenges to successful practice of exclusive breast feeding.
- To astain the attitude of female bankers towards breast feeding.
RESEARCH QUESTION
- What is the level of knowledge of female bankers towards exclusive breast feeding
- What type of attitude is developed by female bankers towards the practice of exclusive breast feeding
- What are the factors influencing the effective practice of exclusive breast feeding among female bankers
- What are the benefits of exclusive breast feeding among female bankers
SCOPE OF STUDY
Scope of study is limited to
female bankers that are of child bearing age in IkpobaOkha local
government area of Edo state Nigeria.
It headquarters are in town of Idogbo. It has an area of 862km2 and a population of 371,106 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 300.
There are about ……… bank in IkpobaOkhaL.G.A it has about ….... Number of female bankers
LIMITATION OF STUDY
- Time factor the entire program is time consuming and the project has to be with in time frame.
- Lack of sufficient capital because of the economic situation of the country
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Knowledge: Clear perception fact or understanding about exclusive breastfeeding.
Attitude: Position as indicating action, feeling or mood towards exclusive breastfeeding
Practice: The way of carrying out or doing exclusive breast feeding.
Exclusive breastfeeding: Feeding of a baby with breast milk only for the first time months of life.
Breast: Mammary gland that secrets milk after giving birth
Artificial milk: Milk synthesized from plant or animals used to feed a baby.
Complementary feeding: Artificial milk given to augment breast milk after 6 months of exclusive feeding.
BFH: Baby friendly hospital initiative
SIDs: Sudden infant death syndrome