Factors Associated with Healthcare Workers’ Self-Efficacy in Breastfeeding Guidance: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chongqing, China
This cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China, identifies that healthcare workers' self-efficacy in providing breastfeeding guidance is significantly enhanced by higher levels and frequency of family-centered lactation support as well as employment in maternal and child specialist hospitals.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
Breastfeeding is a fundamental act of care that supports the health of both mother and child, helping to prevent early illnesses and aiding in the mother's recovery after birth. For this process to succeed, the guidance provided by medical professionals plays a critical role. However, the effectiveness of this guidance depends heavily on the confidence of the healthcare workers themselves. This confidence, known in psychology as self-efficacy, is not just about knowing the facts; it is the belief that one can successfully perform a specific task in a real-world situation. While many studies have looked at how confident mothers feel about breastfeeding, far less is known about the confidence of the doctors, nurses, and midwives who are tasked with teaching them. Understanding what builds or weakens this professional confidence is essential, because a healthcare worker who doubts their ability to help is less likely to offer the deep, consistent support that families need.
Researchers in Chongqing, China, set out to investigate exactly this dynamic. They conducted a survey of 217 healthcare workers, including physicians, nurses, and midwives, who work in various hospitals across the city. The goal was to measure how confident these professionals felt when giving breastfeeding advice and to identify the specific factors that influenced that confidence. The team asked participants to reflect on their actual work experiences, rating their own sense of capability on a standard scale. They also gathered detailed information about the workers' backgrounds, their daily routines, the training they had received, and the type of hospital where they worked. By comparing the confidence scores with these various details, the researchers could see which elements of a worker's job or environment were linked to higher levels of self-assurance.
The study revealed that a healthcare worker's confidence is not determined solely by their personal knowledge or years of experience. Instead, it is deeply connected to how they practice and where they work. The most significant factors boosting confidence were the frequency and depth of the guidance provided to the families of new mothers. Workers who regularly spoke with family members and offered comprehensive, detailed advice reported much higher confidence levels than those who only gave basic instructions or rarely engaged with the family. This suggests that the act of repeatedly teaching and seeing families understand the material reinforces the worker's own belief in their skills. It is similar to how a musician becomes more confident not just by knowing the notes, but by playing the piece often in front of an audience that responds positively.
Beyond individual habits, the type of hospital made a clear difference. Healthcare workers employed in maternal and child specialist hospitals showed higher confidence scores compared to those in general or private hospitals. These specialized institutions appear to provide an environment where workers encounter a wider variety of breastfeeding cases and have access to more structured support systems. The data also showed that working in hospitals with specific resources, such as dedicated breastfeeding clinics, funding for breastfeeding programs, and standardized management protocols, was linked to greater confidence. Conversely, workers in settings with fewer resources or less structured support tended to feel less certain in their ability to guide families effectively.
The researchers concluded that improving the quality of breastfeeding support requires a dual approach. It is not enough to simply train healthcare workers once; the environment in which they work must support continuous, family-centered practice. When workers are encouraged to engage deeply with families and are supported by institutions that provide the necessary tools and standardized protocols, their confidence grows. This confidence, in turn, leads to better clinical support for mothers and infants. The study highlights that building a confident workforce is a matter of both personal practice and institutional design, suggesting that hospitals should focus on creating supportive systems that allow their staff to master the art of breastfeeding guidance through repeated, high-quality interactions.
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