KNOWLEDGE OF EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING AMONG FEMALE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN MAIDUGURI METROPOLITAN COUNCIL, BORNO STATE

Abstract

This research was conducted to assess knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding among female primary school teachers in Maiduguri Metropolitan council, Borno State. Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF), refers to the practice of feeding the infant for the first six months of life on breast milk only, without any other type of food including water. Thereafter, infants could be given complementary food with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age. Survey research design was used for this study. The population of this study comprised of all female primary school teachers in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State.  Availability sampling procedure was used for data collection which yielding a total of 392 teacher. The instruments for this study was adopted and modified from previous study named Knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding among female teachers in primary schools in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC). The questionnaire divided into two sections: section A is on demographic Questionnaire, while section B on was knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding among female teachers in primary schools in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC). It contains 5 items. The instrument was validated for face and content validity by expert in Department of Physical and Health Education University of Maiduguri, Borno State. The reliability of the instrument was tested at Maiduguri Capital School. Split-half reliability method was employed to test the reliability of the instrument; data collected was subjected to statistical test using Spearman Brown prophecy formula to determine the reliability index of 0.75. Descriptive statistics of frequency count and percentages was employed to describe demographic information while inferential statistics of Chi-square and ANOVA was used to test hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that female primary school teachers in MMC had good knowledge of EBF, but not adequate. Moreover, there is significant difference in the knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding among female teachers in primary schools in MMC, Borno State (P<0.05), but respondents did not differ in the knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding (P>0.05). It was concluded that the result of this study showed that female teachers in primary schools Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, had good knowledge of EBF, but the knowledge is not adequate. It was recommended that the knowledge of exclusive breast feeding among female teachers in primary schools in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council should be promoted and spread to the people there community.