Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı birinci basamak sağlık hizmetlerinde çalışan sağlık profesyonellerinin perspektifinden emzirme mitlerinin değerlendirilmesidir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Araştırma, 15 Nisan-3 Mayıs 2024 tarihleri arasında kesitsel tipte yapılmıştır. Araştırma bir İl Sağlık Müdürlüğüne Bağlı Halk Sağlığı Hizmetleri Başkanlığı (HSHB); Toplum Sağlığı Merkezi ve Sağlıklı Hayat Merkezi'nde (SHM) görev yapmakta olan 206 sağlık personeli ile yürütülmüştür. Araştırma verileri Kişisel Bilgi Formu, Emzirme Mitleri Ölçeği (EMÖ) ile yüz yüze toplanmıştır. Verilerin değerlendirmesinde ortalama, standart sapma ve yüzdelik dağılımının yanı sıra bağımsız örneklem t-testi, F testi (varyans analizi) (''post hoc'' testi Bonferroni, Tamhane's T2) kullanılmıştır. İstatistiksel anlamlılık düzeyi p<0,05 olarak kabul edilmiştir. Bulgular: Katılımcıların yaş ortalaması 40,1±9,3 (minimum=21, maksimum=69) iken çoğunluğu (n=92, %44,7) HSHB'de çalışmaktadır. Katılımcıların EMÖ puan ortalaması 121,5±25,9 (minimum=30, maksimum=150) iken çoğunun (n=130, %63,1) emzirme mitlerine sahip olma düzeyi yüksek bulunmuştur. EMÖ puan ortalaması kadınlarda (X±SS=131,7±12,7, p<0,001), en az 1 çocuğu olanlarda (X±SS=124,1±24,6, p=0,014), kendisi/partneri emzirme deneyimi olanlarda (X±SS=126,6±21,8, p<0,001) ve emzirme eğitimi alanlarda (X±SS=131,5±14,1, p<0,001), hekim, ebe ve hemşirelerde (p<0,001), SHM'de çalışanlarda (p=0,001), üniversite ve üzeri eğitimi olanlarda (p<0,001) ve gelir düzeyi yüksek olanlarda (p=0,014) daha yüksektir. Sonuç: Sağlık profesyonellerinin emzirme mitlerine sahip olma düzeyleri oldukça yüksektir. Emzirme mitlerinin ortadan kaldırılması için sağlık profesyonellerine yönelik farkındalık artırıcı eğitimlerin yaygınlaştırılması, emzirme sürecinin iyileştirilmesinde son derece önemli ve elzemdir.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Batıl inançlar; emzirme; kültür; sağlık personeli; sağlık eğitimi
Objective: The study aims to evaluate breastfeeding myths from the perspective of health professionals working in primary health care services. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in a cross-sectional manner between April 15 and May 3, 2024. The study was conducted with 206 health personnel working in the Public Health Services Presidency (PHSP) affiliated to a Provincial Health Directorate; Community Health Center and Healthy Life Center (HLC). Research data were collected face to face with Personal Information Form, Breastfeeding Myths Scale (BMS). In addition to mean, standard deviation and percentage distribution, independent sample t test, F test (analysis of variance) (''post hoc'' testi Bonferroni, Tamhane's T2) were used in the evaluation of the data. The statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05. Results: The mean age of the participants was 40.1±9.3 (minimum=21, maximum=69), while the majority (n=92, 44.7%) worked at HSHB. The participants' mean BMS score was 121.5±25.9 (minimum=30, maximum=150), while the majority (n=130, 63.1%) were found to have a high level of belief in breastfeeding myths. The BMS mean score was higher among women (X±SD=131.7±12.7, p<0.001), those with at least one child (X±SD=124.1±24.6, p=0.014), those who themselves or whose partners had breastfeeding experience (X±SD=126.6±21.8, p<0.001), and those who had received breastfeeding education (X±SD=131.5±14.1, p<0.001). It was also higher among physicians, midwives, and nurses (p<0.001), those working in Community Health Centers (p=0.001), those with university-level or higher education (p<0.001), and those with high income levels (p=0.014). Conclusion: The level of breastfeeding myths held by health professionals is quite high. Dissemination of awareness-raising trainings for health professionals to eliminate breastfeeding myths is extremely important and essential in improving the breastfeeding process.
Keywords: Superstitions; breast feeding; culture; health personnel; health education
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