Browsing by Author "Nakasiita, Felista"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Status of human milk donation and associated knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of pre-natal and post-natal women at St. Francis hospital, Nsambya, Kampala city
    (Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2024-10) Nakasiita, Felista
    Human milk donation is a growing phenomenon worldwide and Uganda is one of the countries that have embraced the use of donor human milk (DHM) to improve the survival rates of preterm babies. Despite the launching of the of the first human milk bank (HMB) at St. Francis hospital, Nsambya in November 2021, the HMB was challenged with small number of milk donors as little as six women donating their breast milk per month. Little was also known about whether mothers understand the concept of human milk donation, their attitude towards the practice and the status of human milk donation at the hospital. The purpose of this study was therefore to establish the status of human milk donation and the associated knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of pre-natal and post-natal women at St. Francis hospital Nsambya, Kampala City. The study adopted a cross-sectional design with both quantitative and qualitative approaches deployed to obtain statistical information and detailed narratives about human breast milk donation. A sample size of 190 (95 pre-natal and 95 post-natal women) was used for quantitative data collection and 8 milk donors and 10 ten knowledgeable health workers were used for the purpose of qualitative data collection. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22 to determine descriptive and inferential statistics and data obtained from the focus group discussion and key informant interviews was transcribed, coded and triangulated to obtain thematic information flow patterns on factors that facilitate and constrain human milk donation among mothers. The study revealed a low uptake of human milk donation at the hospital and that only 20 (10.5%) of the interviewed pre-natal and post-natal women had ever donated their breast milk. Further, only 90 (47.4%) of these women had previous information on human milk donation services. There was a statistically significant relationship established between the women having previous information on human milk donation and them donating their breast milk. (p<0.001). The mean knowledge score of post-natal women 7.57 (SD=2.36) was higher than that of pre-natal women 6.80 (SD=2.04). In addition, the mean attitude score of post-natal women 44.36 (SD=8.174) was higher than that of pre-natal women 38. 82 (SD=2.39). There was a statistically significant relationship between the women’s attitude and human milk donation (p<0.001) and women who had primary level of education and below were less likely to donate their breastmilk (OR 0.136; 95% CI: 0.035- 0.528; p<0.05). Milk donors and key informants perceived human milk donation as a safe and lifesaving practice. Facilitators of human milk donation expressed included: past experiences, having excess breastmilk, and verbal encouragement to donate breast milk whereas barriers expressed included; fear of screening, insufficient breastmilk and lack of incentives. In conclusion, this study showed that there were few women donating their breast milk and that most women did not have previous information on human milk donation. Human milk donation services at the hospital were associated with the pre-natal and post-natal having previous information on human milk donation services, the number of children they had as well as their attitude. In addition, there was a knowledge gap about the concepts of human milk donation among the pre-natal and post-natal women despite the fact that majority having a good attitude.