A Brief Media Intervention Influences Collegiate Males' Attitude and Knowledge Towards Breastfeeding

• Published in: Health communication Vol. 38; no. 9; pp. 1862 - 1870
• Main Authors: Douglas, Crystal Clark, Camel, Simone P., Martínez, Christian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 01.10.2023; Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Attitudes; Breast feeding; breastfeeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; breastfeeding promotion; Brief interventions; Exposure; Friendship; Human nutrition; Infant nutrition; Infants; Intervention; Knowledge; Males; Nutrition; Social interactions; Social support; theory of planned behavior; Women; Young adults; theory of planned behavior; breastfeeding promotion; breastfeeding; males; attitudes; knowledge
• ISSN: 1041-0236; 1532-7027
• DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2022.2037873

Breastfeeding is the optimal source of infant nutrition, yet the motherʻs decision to breastfeed is complex and influenced by factors including social support and breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes. This study employed a two-group pretest-posttest design to examine whether brief, online video presentations (<2.5 minutes in length) could improve breastfeeding knowledge and attitude among males and compare the outcomes between a knowledge-based and attitude-based intervention. Collegiate male participants (N = 213, 18-40 years of age) demonstrated high breastfeeding exposure (90.1% had friends/family breastfeed) and positive attitudes (89.2% accepted women could breastfeed and work outside home) yet knowledge deficits concerning breastfeeding health benefits were identified. Breastfeeding exposure was positively associated with baseline attitude (r(212)=.186, p = .006 and knowledge (r(212)=.229, p = .001. Both intervention groups reported similar gains in attitude scores; only the knowledge-based intervention reported significant gains in knowledge (M = 1.5, SD = 2.63 vs M = −.07, SD = 1.44, (t = −5.496, df = 211, p < .05). Brief online video presentations may constitute an additional exposure to or nudging toward breastfeeding, and breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes can be positively influenced in young adult males with similar interventions that are affordable and require a minimal time commitment.