Resumo

FRAZAO, Sirmani Melo; VASCONCELOS, Maria Viviane Lisboa de  e  PEDROSA, Celia Maria. Knowledge of Breastfeeding Among Medical Students. Rev. Bras. Educ. Med. [online]. 2019, vol.43, n.2, pp.58-66. ISSN 1981-5271.  https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-52712015v43n2RB20180175.

Breastfeeding has become a global priority due to its numerous benefits to children’s health, their mothers and society. Breastfeeding rates around the world have been below the desired, therefore, the institutions involved have a social responsibility to prepare medical professionals to teach about, and promote breastfeeding in their medical courses. This study seeks to identify the progress of knowledge about breastfeeding in a medical course, using quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional approaches. It consisted of the application of a questionnaire on breastfeeding that was applied to all students enrolled in the medical course of a University in Alagoas. We excluded from the sample students in the 1st and 12th semesters who participated in the semantic validation, using the instrument, “Encuesta sobre Conocimientos en Lactancia” (ECoLa), originally in Spanish but submitted to a process of semantic validation and made available in full through electronic media. Next, a documentary analysis of the medical course (PPC, subject syllabi, course plans) was carried out, where the theme was inserted. Content regarding the topic of breastfeeding was found in the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 10th periods of the course. The questionnaire gathered information about the students’ knowledge of physiology, public health, feeding in the early days, late problems, assessment of breastfeeding, maternal condition, and prevailing attitudes. As a result of the questionnaire, it was observed that in the first three periods of the course, the success rates remained stable (45.61% – 39.04% – 41.13%), and there were no significant differences between them (p> 0.05). The progression from one period to another was significant between the 3rd (41.13%) and the 4th (61.13%) periods, with a success rate increase of 20%. In the other periods, from the 4th to the 12th periods, there was little variation in the indices and no significant differences between them (p> 0.05). Looking at each area of knowledge covered by this study, it is known that there is still much to do be done to promote teaching about breastfeeding among medical students. Several innovative methodologies can favor learning among health professionals. It is suggested that the topic be addressed throughout the course, from the 1st to the last periods, with gradually increasing complexity, so that graduates can contribute to increasing the rate of breastfeeding in the communities where they will later practice.

Palavras-chave : Breastfeeding; Medical Education; Knowledge.

        · resumo em Português     · texto em Português     · Português ( pdf )