Predictors of Attitude towards Medication Use in Breastfeeding among Women in Ekiti State

Abstract

This study examined the predictors of attitude towards medication use in breastfeeding among women in Ekiti State. The study aimed at examining how social factors of age, family pressure, employment status and socioeconomic status would predict attitude towards medication use in breastfeeding among women in Ekiti State. Opinions of Two hundred and five women resident in Ekiti State sampled for the study. Questionnaire on attitude towards medication use in breastfeeding was professionally designed with relevant psychometric properties. It was hypothesized that social factors age, family pressure, employment status and socioeconomic status would significantly, independently and jointly predict attitude towards medication use in breastfeeding among women in Ekiti State. Results revealed that social factors would significantly jointly predict attitude towards medication use in breastfeeding among women in Ekiti State [F (5, 194) = .6.543; p < .05]. It was further found out that age (? = .420, t = 3.395; p < .05), family pressure (? = .401, t = 3.368; p < .05), employment status (? = -.381, t = -2.960; p < .05), and social economic status (? = .360, t = 2.526; p < .05) would significantly independently predict attitude towards medication use in breastfeeding among women in Ekiti State. It was recommended that health professionals need to actively seek information about the breastfeeding status of women, then consider the risk of damage from the medications and the effects of the illness itself, as well as the risks of not breastfeeding, on both the woman and the baby prior to prescribing.