Abstract
Background: The six-month exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rate almost halved between 2009 and 2013 in Northeast Thailand for no clear reason. Specific facilitators and barriers to six-month EBF have been identified for Thailand, but mothers’ views on these factors to continuing EBF breastfeeding until six months have not been explored in this region. Aim: This study aimed to prioritize mothers’ views on the identified facilitators and barriers of continuing six-month exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: Q-methodology was applied. This research was conducted at Well Baby Out-Patient Department of Khonkaen Hospital, Numphong Hospital and a private hospital. Thirty-four mothers, who had recently delivered infants aged between four and six months, were breastfeeding/had breastfed, were 20 to 40 years old, participated. Demographic data were analysed descriptively, and Q-method analysis was conducted using the PQ Method software 2.35. Results: There was consensus that having knowledge about the advantages of EBF was the most important facilitator of six-month EBF, and ‘not having any other responsibilities besides caring for her infant’ was the least important facilitator of six-month EBF. Three viewpoints emerged identifying different groups/clusters of mothers, namely, (1) caring for self, (2) requiring support and (3) breastfeeding knowledge. Conclusions: Despite some consensus among participants, three distinct viewpoints emerged regarding which facilitators and barriers were important to mothers. It is clear that a programme to improve the six-month EBF rate in Northeast Thailand would need to incorporate interventions or activities that address the different viewpoints identified.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 219-227 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Nutrition and Health |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 2 |
Early online date | 6 May 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jun 2022 |
Bibliographical note
AcknowledgementsThis article is derived from the dissertation requirements for a PhD in Nursing at the University of Aberdeen. The authors are grateful to all of the mother-participants for sharing their ideas and experiences during the study. We are also immensely grateful to Dr. Stephen Jeffares, University of Birmingham, UK for his comments in relation to Q-method data analysis. We also wish to thank the head of the Well Baby Out-Patient Department, Khonkaen Hospital as well as the head of the Well Baby Out-Patient Department at the community hospital for their facilitation during data collection.
Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Keywords
- facilitator
- barrier
- Northeast Thailand
- six-month exclusive breastfeeding
- Q-methodology