The influence of media on the beliefs and attitudes of young mothers towards breastfeeding practices in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding is an important public health intervention, yet its prevalence among young women in Nigeria is low. Media exposure significantly influences mothers' feeding choices. The study investigated the extent to which various media forms affect young mothers' beliefs and attitudes toward breastfeeding behaviour in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative survey of 384 young mothers aged 18- 35 years with children aged 0-24 months in Osogbo, Osun State, was conducted from April to July 2025. Data were collected using structured questionnaires that captured media exposure patterns, breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Multistage sampling (using purposive and simple random sampling at different stages) was employed within sampled health facilities and communities. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression using SPSS version 26.0 were employed in the data analysis.

Results: Most participants (73.4%) were aged 25-35years, and 68.5% had secondary education and above. Mobile phone ownership was almost universal (98.4%), and high prevalence of social media use was observed: WhatsApp (94.8%), Facebook (78.1%), and Instagram (62.2%). TV watching was reported by 85.2% of the participants. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months was practiced by only 34.6% of the mothers. Greater media exposure to education health content was also significantly associated with better breastfeeding practices (OR=2.34, 95% CI: 1.45- 3.78, p<0.001). High social media users presented conflicting results, where positive practices were reinforced by peer support groups (OR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.12-3.19, p=0.017) but exposure to formula advertising had a detrimental influence on exclusive breastfeeding (OR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.36-0.94, p=0.027).

Conclusion: The media plays a major role in breastfeeding practice among young mothers in Osogbo. Educational media content promotes the best practices, but commercial promotion and misinformation exist. Effective health communication programmes that leverage popular mass media channels and replace misleading messages with accurate, evidence-based breastfeeding information.