A Thesis Submitted To School Of Graduate Studies, Jimma University Department Of Health Education And Behavioral Science; In Partial Fulfillment Of The Requirement For Master Of Public Health In Health Education And Promotion

Abstract

Back ground: World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recommend that all mothers should breastfeed their children exclusively for the first 6 months; however a report in Ethiopia revealed that only one in three Ethiopian children age 4-5 months is exclusively breastfed. This study seeks to identify some of the modifiable factors which affects pregnant women’s prenatal intention to exclusively breast feed their child by using the theory of planned behavior mode components. Objectives: To assess exclusive breast feeding intention among pregnant women who were seeking ANC service and factors affecting their decision for exclusive breasts feeding. Methods: cross-sectional study design was utilized on pregnant women who were seeking ANC services in governmental health institutions in Dire - Dawa town from February 13 – march 13/2010. Face to face interview between trained nurse and the client were employed to collect data. Result: majority (78.3%) of pregnant women had behavioral intention to exclusively breast feeding. The three components of TPB explained 28.7% of the variance in mothers’ behavioral intentions to exclusively breast feeding. Pregnant women’s Attitude was found to be the most significantly important factor in the prediction (22.2%). subjective norm and perceived behavioral control explained only 4.5% and 2.5% of the variance respectively. Past breast feeding experience and smoking habit were Factors external to the components of TPB made significant contributions to the prediction of mother’s behavioral intentions. Conclusion: Attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control did prove to be predictors of intention in this sample of pregnant women. Which indicate that the possible utility of theory of planned behavioral to promote exclusive breast feeding behavior.