Knowledge, Attitude and Acceptability of Human Breast Milk Banking among Lactating Mothers at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Nairobi City County, Kenya

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dc.contributor.advisorPeter Chegeen_US
dc.contributor.advisorJoseph Kobiaen_US
dc.contributor.authorMati, Christine Mwende
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-02T08:03:26Z
dc.date.available2024-02-02T08:03:26Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.descriptionA Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Food, Nutrition and Dietetics) in the School of Health Sciences of Kenyatta Universityen_US
dc.description.abstractHuman breast milk is the most critical feeding option for newborns and infants. The World Health Organization recommends infant exclusive breast feeding for the initial six months of life. In the instance that breastfeeding cannot be seamlessly achieved or initiated; the WHO recommends the donation and use of human breast milk as the best of other replacement feeding options. In Kenya, the first human milk bank was started up in 2019 at Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi City County, with the aim of filling this gap in breastfeeding practices for the benefit of infants. The purpose of this study was to establish the knowledge, attitude and acceptability of human breast milk banking among lactating mothers at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Nairobi City County, Kenya. A cross-sectional descriptive study design approach was utilized for the study, with systematic sampling and sample random sampling methods applied to gain 403 lactating mothers as the study respondents. A structured and consolidated, researcher-administered questionnaire, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect the data. The collected qualitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. Chi-Square tests were used to determine association and the Fisher’s Exact test was applied to assess the null hypotheses for variables where the frequencies were less than five. Results with p-values less than 0.05 were said to be statistically significant. For qualitative data, content analysis was conducted. The results indicated that the mean age of lactating mothers visiting Pumwani Maternity Hospital was 30.8 ± 6.9 years. A majority (51.7%) of the lactating mothers had adequate knowledge on human donor breast milk banking with 48% of them having a basic knowledge on the concept of human breast milk donation. A majority (57.1%) of the lactating mothers reported positive attitudes towards human breast milk donation and banking. However, human breast milk donation and banking was only acceptable to 36.4% of the lactating mothers, and was unacceptable to 24.8% of them. 32.7% of the participants were uncertain about their acceptability of donor human breast milk banking. A significant relationship (χ2==55.9671; p-value<0.00001) was found to exist between the lactating mothers’ age and their acceptability of donor human breast milk banking. Their acceptability of donor human breast milk banking was also significantly associated with their marital status (χ2 =43.3383; df 2); and their level of education (χ2=11.78; df 2; p-value=.019046). However, it was found that there was no significant relationship between the lactating mothers’ acceptability of donor human breast milk banking and their employment status or occupation ((χ2=1.1567, p=.5608]). The researcher concluded that knowledge and attitudes of lactating mothers are co-dependent in influencing their acceptability of human breast milk donation and banking. It is recommended that efforts to improve knowledge levels of lactating women on the concept and availability of human breast milk donation and banking facilities be employed within Pumwani Maternity Hospital and Nairobi City County. The findings of this study may therefore be useful to stakeholders within the Nairobi City County, and the Human Breast Milk Banking coordinators at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, in the effort of strengthening gaps in infant feeding.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipkenyatta universityen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/27438
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherkenyatta universityen_US
dc.subjectHuman Breast Milk Bankingen_US
dc.subjectLactating Mothersen_US
dc.subjectPumwani Maternity Hospitalen_US
dc.subjectNairobi City Countyen_US
dc.subjectKenyaen_US
dc.titleKnowledge, Attitude and Acceptability of Human Breast Milk Banking among Lactating Mothers at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Nairobi City County, Kenyaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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