 |
| Behi Nikaiin: University of Calgary – Qatar primary faculty member |
The University of Calgary – Qatar’s (UCQ) Undergraduate Research Experience Programme has received $60,000 in funding from the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) to further explore and improve upon breastfeeding practices in Qatar.
Improving on breastfeeding practices and support systems for Qataris will be the subject of the research study titled: ‘Exploring professional intervention and support for breastfeeding practices in the primary healthcare centres in Qatar’.
“I am extremely happy and honoured to receive the funding for the second time in the past three years,” said Behi Nikaiin, UCQ primary faculty member, explaining that the latest funding was a follow-up to a previous qualitative study also
funded by QNRF.
“One of the findings of that study, repeatedly suggested by participants, was that both hospital sector and primary healthcare services should be actively providing support to mothers to improve the breastfeeding practices in Qatar,” said Nikaiin.
The goals of the study are to identify the breastfeeding support resources that are currently available and to explore the interventions that are most effective and culturally appropriate to promote and improve the breastfeeding practices.
“Breastfeeding support programmes such as breastfeeding clinics and prenatal classes are not well developed in Qatar and public has very limited access to those resources. Lack of social and professional support has been suggested in other studies to be one of the main reasons that mothers choose not to breastfeed,” added Nikaiin.
She thanked QNRF and the country for providing her the opportunity to conduct another research project with the purpose of maternal/child health
promotion here.
“I also would like to express my appreciation to my group members,” she added.
The participating students in the project include Aisha Yousif, Areej Abu Joundi, Asmaa Hassan, Eman al-Naimi, Fatima al-Obaidan and Yassmin Hussein.