The long-term objective is to distribute, in many languages, a computer software package on the management of human lactation. Two versions are planned. One version is directed toward all health care professionals (HCPS) who come in contact with pregnant and/or lactating mothers, and the other version is scaled down for use by mothers. This program will give HCPs the necessary information to manage breastfeeding competently, thereby contributing to the PHS objectives for increasing breastfeeding rates and decreasing infant mortality in the U. S. by the year 2000. On a world scale, infant mortality will decrease and infant health improve through decreased infections. The specific aims of the project are to take advantage of computer technology to gather accurate and up-to-date information on human lactation management, to fill gaps in knowledge, to improve medical students' education in human lactation, and to dismiss fallacies which cause undue numbers of breastfeeding failures. The methodology involves the creation and testing of a MacIntosh HyperCard I program during Phase I. Organization of breastfeeding information will be incorporated into the program and periodic review/alpha testing (Phase I, 4 months; Phase II, 20-22 months) performed. Conversion of the HyperCard format to a PC format, testing of PC version, and evaluation of the software as an educational tool in both versions is planned for Phase III. Writing the instruction manuals for each version, translation and worldwide marketing are also planned for Phase III. Because of its ease-of-use, visual appeal, low educational cost per individual (especially for institutions) and low update cost, this computer software package will become the learning method of choice.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research:One version aims at all the health care professionals (HCPS) who come in contact with pregnant and/or lactating mothers. A scaled down version would aim at mothers. Worldwide distribution in many languages of a computer software package on the management of human lactation.
Thesaurus Terms: breast feeding, computer program /software, computer system design /evaluation, information dissemination computer assisted instruction, computer human interaction, health care personnel, health education, mother /infant health care service, patient care managemen National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
