Title: Assessing Resident Physician Knowledge about Breastfeeding Medicine in a Rural Family Medicine Clinic
Authors: Samantha Jensen, MD and Amanda Stoltz, MD, Bristol Family Medicine Residency Program, Department of Family Medicine, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Introduction: Many residents and faculty encourage the long-term goal of breastfeeding, and our residency program provides extensive training in obstetrics and newborn nursery. However, there is little structure and direct guidance for breastfeeding medicine already built in to the family medicine residency training. We aimed to develop a dedicated breastfeeding medicine longitudinal curriculum to improve the effectiveness of family medicine physician residents as teachers and advocates by improving residents’ fund of knowledge, provide structure for encouraging breastfeeding at prenatal visits, and incorporate breastfeeding into our family medicine practice by improving the on-site locations for breastfeeding and pumping.
Method: The method of research was pre-lecture and post-lecture surveys comprised of 15 questions, including knowledge-based questions, assessment of confidence level, and a question on perceived barriers to breastfeeding. Participants attending two educational sessions during the study, and additional educational sessions have continued after study conclusion. The post-lecture survey was completed 12 weeks after first lecture. Lecture topics included an overview of breastfeeding medicine, how to encourage breastfeeding at prenatal appointments, contraindications, maternal nutritional supplements, formula supplementation, galatogogues, and the storage of breastmilk.
Results: Results were compiled from the responses of 20 pretests and 9 posttest surveys. Results showed an increase in correct responses to the knowledge portion 61.15% pretest versus 77.69% posttest (t(28) 3.41, p<0.01). Resident physician confidence also increased by the conclusion of the study (t=28, p<.01).
Conclusions: It can be concluded that educational lectures increase knowledge and confidence in resident physicians with regards to breastfeeding medicine. Areas for future study include specific research focusing on methods to increase access to resources for breastfeeding mothers.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:asrf-1736 |
| Date | 18 March 2021 |
| Creators | Jensen, Samantha, Stoltz, Amanda |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | Appalachian Student Research Forum |
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