Appropriate Components for a Breastfeeding in Workplace Survey Tool to Support Breastfeeding Policy in the Workplace in Thailand

Abstract

A study on situation of promoting breastfeeding in workplace is important information for government and enterprise to formulate policies and guidelines for supporting breastfeeding in workplace. However, there is a lack of appropriate tool for breastfeeding survey in workplace in the Thai context. This research is interested in developing a survey tool to study the breastfeeding situation in workplace. This research aimed to study the appropriate components of the tool and develop the prototype of tool for situation survey of breastfeeding in workplace. Research methodology used in this research was mixed method which consisted of 3 steps: (1) reviewing related document, identifying the component of the tool, and analyzing data by focus group interview of 11 stakeholders, (2) assessing the tool components by using the Delphi technique of 20 experts, and (3) developing the prototype tool for a situation survey of breastfeeding in the workplace by focus group interview of 7 experts. The research found that the appropriate components of the tool for situation survey of breastfeeding in workplace consisted of 4 main components and 32 sub-elements. The first component was general information of interviewees that consisted of 13 sub-elements. The second component was method and expense for child care and consisted of 4 sub-elements. The third component was situation of breastfeeding in workplace that consisted of 5 sub-elements. The last component was the supporting and promoting of enterprise for breastfeeding that consisted of 10 sub-elements. Four main components were appropriate for the prototype of tool in the Thai context. Therefore, this tool should be applied to collect data on breastfeeding situation in any workplace that had the policy to support breastfeeding. In future, data on breastfeeding situation should be used to determine guidelines and policies for promoting and supporting breastfeeding in the workplace.