Table 3.
Mother's knowledge of breastfeeding, classified by socio-demographics characteristics‡ (n = 322)
| K1.Infant formula should be fed to all newborn infants until their mothers' milk comes in. | K3.Mother should not breastfeed if she catches a cold. | Maternal awareness of the advantages of breastfeeding for the babies. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disagree† | Agree† | Don't know | P | Disagree† | Agree† | Don't know | P | Mean score§ | |
| (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | ||||
| Total | 40.7 | 49.5 | 9.8 | 26.0 | 59.2 | 14.7 | 4.03 ± 0.73 | ||
| Current age | |||||||||
| 20-29 | 34.9 | 54.7 | 10.4 | 0.013 | 20.8 | 70.8 | 8.5 | 0.005 | 3.90b |
| 30-39 | 45.4 | 49.3 | 5.3 | 32.0 | 53.6 | 14.4 | 4.14a | ||
| > 40 | 38.9 | 40.7 | 20.4 | 20.4 | 53.7 | 25.9 | 4.03ab | ||
| Education level | |||||||||
| Primary/Secondary level | 36.8 | 50.7 | 12.5 | 0.187 | 19.6 | 64.1 | 16.3 | 0.043 | 3.93b |
| Third level | 44.2 | 48.5 | 7.3 | 31.9 | 54.8 | 13.3 | 4.14a | ||
| Current occupation | |||||||||
| Self-employed/Professional work | 49.4 | 45.5 | 5.2 | 0.228 | 36.7 | 51.9 | 11.4 | 0.015 | 4.25a |
| Non-professional work | 38.7 | 51.9 | 9.4 | 21.7 | 67.9 | 10.4 | 3.98b | ||
| Housewife | 36.4 | 50.4 | 13.2 | 22.5 | 56.6 | 20.9 | 3.98b | ||
| Husband/partner occupation | |||||||||
| Self-employed/Professional work | 51.9 | 39.6 | 8.5 | 0.013 | 36.4 | 50.5 | 13.1 | 0.011 | 4.20a |
| Non-professional work/Unemployed | 34.7 | 55.4 | 9.9 | 20.7 | 64.0 | 15.3 | 3.97b | ||
| Mother's birth place | |||||||||
| Mainland China (north) | 40.1 | 53.7 | 6.2 | 0.005 | 30.1 | 57.7 | 12.3 | 0.013 | 4.08ns |
| Mainland China (south) | 40.2 | 50.5 | 9.3 | 22.2 | 65.7 | 12.0 | 4.04 | ||
| Hong Kong | 43.5 | 32.6 | 23.9 | 19.6 | 50.0 | 30.4 | 3.90 | ||
| Duration in Ireland (years) | |||||||||
| < = 5 | 51.5 | 41.4 | 7.1 | 0.001 | 33.3 | 58.6 | 8.1 | 0.001 | 4.11ns |
| > 5-10 | 34.9 | 57.1 | 8.0 | 23.7 | 62.7 | 13.6 | 4.02 | ||
| > 10 | 39.5 | 37.2 | 23.3 | 18.6 | 46.5 | 34.9 | 3.93 | ||
| Has mother herself been breastfed when she was a baby? | |||||||||
| Yes | 41.2 | 51.1 | 7.7 | 0.009 | 27.0 | 58.4 | 14.6 | 0.609 | 4.06ns |
| No/Don't know | 37.8 | 40.0 | 22.2 | 20.0 | 64.4 | 15.6 | 3.91 | ||
‡Group comparisons for categories variables (variables in K1 and K2) were performed by Pearson Chi-square analysis. Group comparisons for continuous variables (mean score) were performed by One-way ANOVA analysis; ab different subscripts denote significances difference within groups using Scheffe post hoc multiple comparisons test (P < 0.05). ns: no significant difference (P > 0.05).
†Disagree = Strongly disagree/Tend to disagree; Agree = Strongly agree/Tend to agree.
§Mean score was calculated from responses basing on a 5-point Likert scale. Strongly Disagree = 1; Tend to disagree = 2; Neither = 3; Tend to Agree = 4; Strongly Agree = 5