Perinatology.  2017 Mar;28(1):11-19. 10.14734/PN.2017.28.1.11.

A Survey on the Awareness of Human Milk Bank in Korean Female Health Care Providers

• Hahn WH
• Song JH
• Park S
• Kang NM
• Ahn S
• Song S

• KMID: 2376572
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14734/PN.2017.28.1.11

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Human milk bank is known as best alternative option for sick infants. However, only two human milk banks (HMBs) are working in Korea. In the present study, we evaluated the awareness on the HMB in female health care provider to find out the issues that would help facilitating HMB establishment in Korea.
METHODS
The survey questionnaire was developed by a team composed with neonatologists, obstetricians, nurses, nutritionists, and health care specialists. The survey was performed for female health care workers in Soon Chun Hyang Cheonan Hospital between March and June in 2016. Eighty-eight of 110 questionnaires were collected and the results were analyzed.
RESULTS
Most of subjects were found to have correct knowledge on the breast milk feeding. However, only 49% of subjects had awareness of the presence of HMB. Unfortunately, less than half of them could get information about HMB by official way including mass media. In addition, 76% of subjects were found not to want to use HMB. Most important reason was found as a concern on the safety of donor milk including life style of donors, infection controls, and possible nutritional loss of banked milk.
CONCLUSION
The purpose and function of HMB was not widely educated and it seems to be one of most important reasons why women have negative concept about HMB in Korea. Thus, further study is warranted with more numbers of subjects after active public education about the HMB.

Keyword

Breast milk; Health care provider; Human milk bank; Survey

MeSH Terms

Chungcheongnam-do
Delivery of Health Care*
Education
Female*
Health Personnel*
Humans*
Infant
Infection Control
Korea
Life Style
Mass Media
Milk
Milk, Human*
Nutritionists
Specialization
Tissue Donors

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Distribution of the knowledge of breast milk feeding according to the general characteristics of subjects.

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  Figure 2. Questionnaires for the knowledge of breast milk feeding. The questionnaire numbers refer the corresponding numbers in Supplemental Table S1 (Q25-Q44).

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  Figure 3. Questionnaires for the important activities of breast milk bank in Korea. The questionnaire numbers refer the corresponding numbers in Supplemental Table S1 (Q59-Q70).

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