Introduction: Globally, 59% of infants under six months are not exclusively breastfed. Many receive alternative foods, including breast milk substitutes. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of private pharmacy staff regarding the dispensing of breast milk substitutes in the district of Bamako. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. The study population was composed of pharmacists, salespeople, and individuals responsible for dispensing breast milk substitute drugs in pharmacies. Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used, with a significance level of 5%. Confidentiality and anonymity of respondents were maintained. Results: The survey included 165 staff members, with men comprising 61.8% of participants. The mean age was 31.7 years (SD ±8.9). Most staff were assistants (53.3%), and 92.0% had less than 15 years of experience. Medical visits represented the primary source of training (84.7%). More than half of respondents (54.5%) lacked knowledge of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Brand awareness was the main reason for dispensing specific product ranges (45.8%). Professional experience significantly influenced dispensing decisions. Conclusion: Pharmacy staff demonstrated limited knowledge of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Continuous medical education is required to enhance the dispensing of breast milk substitutes in line with current recommendations.
| Published in | World Journal of Public Health (Volume 10, Issue 4) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23 |
| Page(s) | 562-569 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Breast-milk Substitutes, Pharmacy Staff, Knowledge, Dispensing, Mali
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APA Style
Sangho, O., Tchapebong, J. P., Sanogo, D., Sogodogo, A., Diarra, B., et al. (2025). Knowledge of Private Pharmacy Staff on the Dispensing of Breast Milk Substitutes in the Bamako District, 2023-2024. World Journal of Public Health, 10(4), 562-569. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23
ACS Style
Sangho, O.; Tchapebong, J. P.; Sanogo, D.; Sogodogo, A.; Diarra, B., et al. Knowledge of Private Pharmacy Staff on the Dispensing of Breast Milk Substitutes in the Bamako District, 2023-2024. World J. Public Health 2025, 10(4), 562-569. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23
@article{10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23,
author = {Oumar Sangho and Jean Paul Tchapebong and Djeneba Sanogo and Abou Sogodogo and Borodjan Diarra and Abdoul Salam Diarra and Cheick Abou Coulibaly and Issa Coulibaly and Belle Fortune Kuaguim Kenfack and Fanta Sangho},
title = {Knowledge of Private Pharmacy Staff on the Dispensing of Breast Milk Substitutes in the Bamako District, 2023-2024},
journal = {World Journal of Public Health},
volume = {10},
number = {4},
pages = {562-569},
doi = {10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjph.20251004.23},
abstract = {Introduction: Globally, 59% of infants under six months are not exclusively breastfed. Many receive alternative foods, including breast milk substitutes. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of private pharmacy staff regarding the dispensing of breast milk substitutes in the district of Bamako. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. The study population was composed of pharmacists, salespeople, and individuals responsible for dispensing breast milk substitute drugs in pharmacies. Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used, with a significance level of 5%. Confidentiality and anonymity of respondents were maintained. Results: The survey included 165 staff members, with men comprising 61.8% of participants. The mean age was 31.7 years (SD ±8.9). Most staff were assistants (53.3%), and 92.0% had less than 15 years of experience. Medical visits represented the primary source of training (84.7%). More than half of respondents (54.5%) lacked knowledge of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Brand awareness was the main reason for dispensing specific product ranges (45.8%). Professional experience significantly influenced dispensing decisions. Conclusion: Pharmacy staff demonstrated limited knowledge of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Continuous medical education is required to enhance the dispensing of breast milk substitutes in line with current recommendations.},
year = {2025}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Knowledge of Private Pharmacy Staff on the Dispensing of Breast Milk Substitutes in the Bamako District, 2023-2024 AU - Oumar Sangho AU - Jean Paul Tchapebong AU - Djeneba Sanogo AU - Abou Sogodogo AU - Borodjan Diarra AU - Abdoul Salam Diarra AU - Cheick Abou Coulibaly AU - Issa Coulibaly AU - Belle Fortune Kuaguim Kenfack AU - Fanta Sangho Y1 - 2025/12/11 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23 DO - 10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23 T2 - World Journal of Public Health JF - World Journal of Public Health JO - World Journal of Public Health SP - 562 EP - 569 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2637-6059 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20251004.23 AB - Introduction: Globally, 59% of infants under six months are not exclusively breastfed. Many receive alternative foods, including breast milk substitutes. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of private pharmacy staff regarding the dispensing of breast milk substitutes in the district of Bamako. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. The study population was composed of pharmacists, salespeople, and individuals responsible for dispensing breast milk substitute drugs in pharmacies. Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used, with a significance level of 5%. Confidentiality and anonymity of respondents were maintained. Results: The survey included 165 staff members, with men comprising 61.8% of participants. The mean age was 31.7 years (SD ±8.9). Most staff were assistants (53.3%), and 92.0% had less than 15 years of experience. Medical visits represented the primary source of training (84.7%). More than half of respondents (54.5%) lacked knowledge of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Brand awareness was the main reason for dispensing specific product ranges (45.8%). Professional experience significantly influenced dispensing decisions. Conclusion: Pharmacy staff demonstrated limited knowledge of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Continuous medical education is required to enhance the dispensing of breast milk substitutes in line with current recommendations. VL - 10 IS - 4 ER -