Effects of Empowerment Program on Breastfeeding Behavior and Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding among Adolescent Mothers

Abstract

The purpose of this quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest control group design was to examine the effects of empowerment program on breastfeeding behavior and duration of exclusive breastfeeding among adolescent mothers. The purposive sample of 60 adolescent mothers who had deliveries and were admitted

at the Obstetric 4 ward of Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University between November 2011 and December 2012. They were randomly assigned into either an experimental group or a control group. The subjects of each group were matched according to personal data. A control group received routine nursing care, while an experimental group received the empowerment program in addition to routine nursing care. Data collection was carried out through personal data questionnaires, breastfeeding behavior observation form and breastfeeding duration record. The statistical research used for data analysis consisted of frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, paired t-test and independent t-test.

The result showed that the breastfeeding behavior score of adolescent mothers after the intervention was statistically higher than before the intervention and higher than those of the control group (p<0.001). The breastfeeding duration score of adolescent mothers after the intervention was statistically higher than those of the control group (p<0.01).