Impact of lactation management education on health professionals.

Abstract

In 1992, Kenyatta National Hospital Lactation Management Education Centre (KNH LME) was established in collaboration with the University of Nairobi (UoN) and the Ministry of Health (MoH). The aim of the programme was to train multidisciplinary teams of health professionals in lactation management education. A descriptive analysis of the test performance of doctors, nurses and nutritionists on lactation management education, before and after exposure to the programme, was carried out. 229 health professionals from Kenya, comprising 138 nurses, 56 nutritionists, and 35 doctors, participated in the study. The performance of all participants improved significantly (P<0.000) between the pre and post test scores from a mean score of 54.0% in pre test, to a mean score of 72.0% in the post test. Adequate lactation management education content should be included in all preservice medical curricula for all health professionals. In addition, an update of emerging issues in lactation management education must be sustained, in all health institutions as part of continuing education for inservice health professionals.