Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol

Elaine Lehane; Edina Hanley; Aoife Fleming; Helen Mulcahy; Siobhan Ward; Liz Cogan; Margaret Murphy; Aoife Long; Patricia Leahy-Warren

doi:10.12688/hrbopenres.14018.1

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Study Protocol

Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol

[version 1; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]

Elaine Lehane¹, Edina Hanley¹, Aoife Fleming^2,3, [...] Helen Mulcahy¹, Siobhan Ward⁴, Liz Cogan⁵, Margaret Murphy¹, Aoife Long¹, Patricia Leahy-Warren¹

Elaine Lehane¹, Edina Hanley¹, [...] Aoife Fleming^2,3, Helen Mulcahy¹, Siobhan Ward⁴, Liz Cogan⁵, Margaret Murphy¹, Aoife Long¹, Patricia Leahy-Warren¹

PUBLISHED 22 Jan 2025

Author details Author details

¹ School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Cork, County Cork, Ireland
² Pharmaceutical Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, County Cork, Ireland
³ Pharmacy Department, Grenville Place, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
⁴ La Leche League International, Schaumburg, Illinois, USA
⁵ University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

Elaine Lehane
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Supervision, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Edina Hanley
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Aoife Fleming
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing

Helen Mulcahy
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing

Siobhan Ward
Roles: Writing – Review & Editing

Liz Cogan
Roles: Writing – Review & Editing

Margaret Murphy
Roles: Writing – Review & Editing

Aoife Long
Roles: Writing – Review & Editing

Patricia Leahy-Warren
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Writing – Review & Editing

OPEN PEER REVIEW

REVIEWER STATUS

Abstract

Objective

To review and summarise interprofessional breastfeeding curricula—educational initiatives involving multiple health professions—that have been proposed for undergraduate or pre-registration health students. This review will help guide the development of future Interprofessional Education (IPE) curricula for undergraduate health students, specifically in the area of breastfeeding care.

Introduction

Breastfeeding care and support from healthcare professionals are vital for breastfeeding success. To ensure mothers receive high-quality, consistent care, healthcare professionals must receive comprehensive, evidence-based breastfeeding education. However, there is limited understanding of how breastfeeding curricula are delivered across different disciplines in undergraduate health programs, particularly in the context of IPE.

Inclusion criteria

Primary research designs, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method studies and evidence syntheses of primary research including systematic and scoping reviews that meet the inclusion criteria will be considered. Position papers and policy documents will also be considered for inclusion in this scoping review.

Methods

Medline (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), ERIC (EBSCO), Social Sciences, and Cochrane Databases of Systematic Reviews will be searched with English language and date restrictions (2005-current). Titles and abstracts and full-text articles will be independently screened by two reviewers. The reference lists of the included studies will be searched. A grey literature search will be undertaken on Google scholar, BASE and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) website in October 2024. Studies will be screened in Covidence by two independent reviewers. All reviewers will agree on the included studies. Data will be extracted and presented graphically using figures and tables. Narrative summary text will accompany the tables and figures.

Keywords

breastfeeding curriculum; health students; interprofessional education 

Corresponding author: Elaine Lehane

Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Grant information: Health Research Board -APRO-2023-015
This review is being undertaken as part of the ‘Maximise support for breastfeeding for sustainable population health and wellbeing: Integrated knowledge translation approach, MaxSBF’ and is funded by the Health Research Board.  
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Copyright: © 2025 Lehane E et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

How to cite: Lehane E, Hanley E, Fleming A et al. Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol [version 1; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]. HRB Open Res 2025, 8:6 (https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14018.1) First published: 22 Jan 2025, 8:6 (https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14018.1) Latest published: 22 Jan 2025, 8:6 (https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14018.1)

Introduction

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of infants’ lives to attain optimal development, growth and health (WHO, 2023). After six months, it is recommended to continue breastfeeding whilst introducing nutritional, complementary foods for up to two years or beyond (WHO, 2023). Global breastfeeding rates remain lower than required (Mulcahy et al., 2022), with approximately 44% of infants between zero to six months breastfed exclusively between 2015–2020 (WHO, 2023).

Mothers need support to breastfeed, and healthcare professionals play a key role in providing that support (McFadden et al., 2017; WHO, 2023). However, their breastfeeding knowledge can vary, with gaps reported in the literature (Leviniene et al., 2009; Mulcahy et al., 2022; Whelan et al., 2011). Comprehensive, evidence-based breastfeeding education during undergraduate training is essential to ensure consistent, high-quality care (Campbell et al., 2022; UNICEF, WHO, 2003). Yet, curricula often lack sufficient breastfeeding education, leading to varying levels of support for parents (Campbell et al., 2022; Campbell et al., 2024; Gary et al., 2017).

IPE is crucial for effective healthcare practice implementation (Homeyer et al., 2018). Learning alongside other disciplines helps students understand both their own roles and the roles of other healthcare professionals (Saragih et al., 2023). Mulcahy et al. (2022) emphasised that interdisciplinary education can improve breastfeeding support. Incorporating an IPE model into healthcare education may foster collaboration and improve students’ knowledge (Saragih et al., 2023). Applying this IPE approach to breastfeeding curricula could strengthen teamwork among healthcare professionals and improve breastfeeding knowledge. However, there is limited research on how breastfeeding education is integrated across different disciplines in undergraduate health programs. Therefore, this review aims to identify and summarise interprofessional breastfeeding curricula—educational initiatives involving multiple health professions—that have been proposed for undergraduate or pre-registration health students. For this reason, a scoping review will be undertaken.

A preliminary scoping search was undertaken to identify any existing systematic reviews or scoping reviews as per the JBI guidance for scoping reviews (Peters et al., 2020). Campbell et al. (2022) undertook a scoping review of the literature to explore educational resources, methods and curriculum provided to undergraduate health students on lactation. The authors’ recommended the need for a comprehensive breastfeeding-related curriculum for undergraduate health students as approaches to breastfeeding education lack consistency (Campbell et al., 2022). The current review aims to investigate interprofessional breastfeeding curricula only to inform future IPE curricula for undergraduate health students.

Objective

To review and summarise interprofessional breastfeeding curricula (education initiatives that include more than one profession) that have been proposed for undergraduate or pre-registration health students for breastfeeding care to inform future IPE curricula for undergraduate health students.

Review question

1. What evidence exists regarding IPE on breastfeeding, including the curricular content and intended learning outcomes?
2. How has breastfeeding education been integrated into health professional curricula?
3. What IPE competency frameworks, approaches, principles, or models have been applied in breastfeeding education?
4. Which groups of students have received interprofessional breastfeeding education?
5. What outcomes have been reported in relation to IPE in the context of breastfeeding care?

Inclusion criteria

Participants

Undergraduate or pre-registration health students, from any health profession (e.g. dentists, dieticians, doctors, midwives, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, public health students, speech and language therapists). There will be no restriction on age or gender.

Concept

Studies that report on breastfeeding curricular content, curricular learning outcomes (skills, attitudes, knowledge, confidence), curriculum integration processes that have been offered to students from two or more professions (i.e. with an IPE component). IPE is defined as education that occurs when “students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes” (World Health Organization, 2010)

Context

Breastfeeding education programmes that include breastfeeding care in the curriculum in Higher Education Institutions (HEI). There will be no limit on countries.

Types of sources

This scoping review will consider quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method studies. In addition, systematic reviews and scoping reviews that meet the inclusion criteria will also be considered. Position papers and policy documents will also be considered for inclusion in this scoping review.

Exclusion criteria

Non-health students will be excluded. Studies examining or exploring undergraduate or pre-registration health students’ breastfeeding knowledge, skills, confidence or attitudes without including breastfeeding education/curriculum will be excluded. Studies that include breastfeeding education/curriculum offered to students from only one profession will be excluded. Studies identifying scales that have been developed to assess knowledge acquired during training will be excluded.

Methods

The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines for scoping reviews will be followed (Peters et al., 2020). This scoping review will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews, PRISMA-ScR (Tricco et al., 2018).

Search strategy

The search strategy will aim to locate both published and unpublished studies. A three-step search strategy as per the JBI methodology for scoping reviews will be utilised in this review (Peters et al., 2020). First an initial limited search of MEDLINE (Ovid) and CINAHL (EBSCO) was undertaken in September 2024 to identify articles on the topic. The text words contained in the titles and abstracts of relevant articles were used to develop a full search strategy for Medline (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), ERIC (EBSCO), Social Sciences and Cochrane Databases of Systematic Reviews (Table 1 and Table 2). Keywords were mapped to relevant subject headings for the appropriate databases. The search strategy was reviewed by topic experts and knowledge users who are professionals in this area.

Table 1. Developing the Search Strategy.

Search concepts	Breastfeeding/Breastfeeding Support	Curriculum/Education	Undergraduate/Health Student
Search terms	Breastfeeding, Breast-feeding, Breastfeed, Breast-feed, Breastfed, Breast-fed, Lactation, Infant feed, Infant Feeding, Infant-fed, Breastfeeding support, Breastfeeding promotion	Course, Curriculum, curricular, curricula, education, educate, teaching, teach, training, train, learn, learning, program, knowledge, skill, information, instruct, intervention, interprofessional, interdisciplinary, interprofessional learning, interprofessional education	Student, Trainee, Undergraduate, Baccalaureate, Pre-licensure, Novice, Pre-qualification, Pre-certification, Pre-professional, Health student, healthcare student, health professional student, student nurse, nursing student, student midwife, student midwives, midwifery student, nurse midwifery student, medical student, medicine student, pharmacy student, student pharmacist, public health student, dentistry student, dental student, student dentist, speech-language pathology student, speech pathology student, speech-language therapy student, speech therapy student, SLT/SLP students, OT student, occupational therapy student, physiotherapy student, physical therapy students, Student dietitian, student dietician, student nutritionist

Table 2. Search Strategy.

Search	Query
#1	Title/Abstract: Breastfeed* OR “breast-feed” OR Breastfed OR “Breast-fed” OR Lacta OR “infant feed” OR “infant- feed” OR “infant-fed” OR “Breastfeeding support” OR “Breastfeeding promotion”
#2	Title/Abstract: Course OR Curricul* OR educat* OR teach* OR train* OR learn* OR program* OR knowledge* OR skill* OR information OR instruct* OR intervention OR interprofessional* OR interdisciplinary OR "interprofessional* education" OR "interprofessional educat" OR “interprofessional learning” OR “interprofessional learn*”
#3	Title/Abstract: Student* OR Trainee* OR Undergraduate* OR Baccalaureate* OR “Pre-licensure” OR Novice* OR “Pre-qualification” OR “Pre-certification” OR “Pre-professional” OR “health student” OR “healthcare student” OR “health care student” OR “health professional student” OR “nursing student” OR “student nurs” OR “nurse midwifery student” OR “midwife student” OR “student midwi” OR “midwifery student” OR “medical student” OR “medicine student” OR "medic student" OR “pharmacy student” OR “student pharmacist” OR “occupational therap* student” OR “occupational therapy student” OR “OT student” OR “speech pathology student” OR “speech language therapy student” OR “speech language therap* student” OR “speech language patholog* student" OR “speech therap* student” OR “speech patholog* student” OR “speech language pathology student” OR “SLT student” OR “SLP student” OR "physiotherapy student” OR “physical therapy student" OR "physiotherap student" OR "physical therap* student" or "dentistry student" or "dental student" OR "dentist* student" OR "nutrition* student" OR "Student* Dietitian" OR "Student* Dietician" OR "Student* nutritionist" OR "public health student*”
#4	#1 AND #2 AND #3
Limits	English language, 2005-current

The search strategy will be adapted for each included database. Syntax and subject headings will be adapted to match each database. One full search has been included in the protocol (Table 3). The reference list of all included studies will be searched to identify additional studies. A grey literature search will be undertaken on Google scholar, BASE and NICE website. Studies published in English will be included. The date range of evidence will be set to 2005 to the current time. This parameter was set in line with international recommendations for curriculum content in breastfeeding support to be included in undergraduate programs (The Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, 2003; The NICE Guidelines on Maternal and Infant Nutrition, 2008;2014).

Table 3. Developing the Search Strategy Search Strategy CINAHL (EBSCO Searched September 2024).

Search	Query	Records retrieved
#1	CINAHL Subject Headings: Infant feeding OR Breast feeding OR Lactation OR Title/Abstract: Breastfeed* OR “breast-feed” OR Breastfed OR “Breast-fed” OR Lacta OR “infant feed” OR “infant-feed” OR “infant-fed” OR “Breastfeeding support” OR “Breastfeeding promotion”	67, 773
#2	CINAHL Subject Headings: Curriculum OR Education OR "Education, Interdisciplinary" OR learning OR teaching OR knowledge OR Title/Abstract: Course OR Curricul* OR educat* OR teach* OR train* OR learn* OR program* OR knowledge* OR skill* OR information OR instruct* OR intervention OR interprofessional* OR interdisciplinary OR "interprofessional* education" OR "interprofessional educat" OR “interprofessional learning” OR “interprofessional learn*”	2, 006, 797
#3	CINAHL Subject Headings: Students, Undergraduate OR Students, nurse midwifery OR Students, nursing OR Students, nursing, baccalaureate OR Students, midwifery OR Students, pharmacy OR Students, medical OR Students, dental OR Students, occupational therapy OR Students, speech-language pathology OR Students, physical therapy OR Students, Dietetics OR Students, health occupations OR Title/Abstract: Student* OR Trainee* OR Undergraduate* OR Baccalaureate* OR “Pre-licensure” OR Novice* OR “Pre-qualification” OR “Pre-certification” OR “Pre-professional” OR “health student” OR “healthcare student” OR “health care student” OR “health professional student” OR “nursing student” OR “student nurs” OR “nurse midwifery student” OR “midwife student” OR “student midwi” OR “midwifery student” OR “medical student” OR “medicine student” OR "medic student" OR “pharmacy student” OR “student pharmacist” OR “occupational therap* student” OR “occupational therapy student” OR “OT student” OR “speech pathology student” OR “speech language therapy student” OR “speech language therap* student” OR “speech language patholog* student" OR “speech therap* student” OR “speech patholog* student” OR “speech language pathology student” OR “SLT student” OR “SLP student” OR "physiotherapy student” OR “physical therapy student" or "physiotherap student" OR "physical therap* student" OR "dentistry student" OR "dental student" OR "dentist* student" OR "nutrition* student" OR "Student* Dietitian" OR "Student* Dietician" OR "Student* nutritionist" OR "public health student*”	265,212
#4	#1 AND #2 AND #3	534
Limits	English language, 2005-current	445

Study/Source of evidence selection

Following the search, all identified citations will be transferred to Covidence, and duplicates removed. Following a pilot test by two independent reviewers, titles and abstracts will then be screened by two independent reviewers for assessment against the inclusion criteria for the review. Potentially relevant sources will be retrieved in full and screened in Covidence. The full text of selected citations will be assessed in detail against the inclusion criteria by two independent reviewers. Any disagreements that arise between the reviewers at each stage of the selection process will be resolved through discussion. Where consensus cannot be reached, a third reviewer will be consulted (Peters et al., 2020). Reasons for exclusion of studies will be provided. The results of the search and the study inclusion process will be reported in the final scoping review and presented in a PRISMA flow diagram (Tricco et al., 2018).

Data extraction

Data will be extracted from papers included in the scoping review by two independent reviewers using a data extraction template (Peters et al., 2020) that will be adapted by the reviewers (Table 4). The JBI data extraction template was modified to include the PCC relevant to this review. Data relevant to address the review objectives and associated questions will be extracted (Peters et al., 2020). The following data will be extracted; author, year, country, type of evidence source, study aim and objectives, participants, context, methodology, curricular content, learning outcomes, integration processes, IPE components, delivery approach, teaching and assessment strategy and key findings as they relate to the review questions.

Table 4. Data extraction instrument.

Author, Year, Country	Type of evidence source	Study aim/ objective	1.Methodology 2.Participants 3.Context	1. Curricular Content 2.Learning Outcomes 3.Integration Processes	IPE Component (e.g. Competency framework, collaboration)	1.Delivery Approach 2.Teaching and Assessment Strategy	Key Findings

The data extraction form will be piloted by two reviewers independently on two studies before use (Peters et al., 2020). Revisions will be made as required. The draft data extraction tool will be modified and revised as necessary during the process of extracting data from each included evidence source. Modifications will be detailed in the scoping review. Any disagreements that arise between the reviewers will be resolved through discussion, or with a third reviewer. If appropriate, authors of papers will be contacted to request missing or additional data, where required.

Data analysis and presentation

The evidence will be mapped and summarised in line with the review aims and objectives. The data will be presented graphically using figures and tables. Narrative summaries will accompany these results. The included studies will be summarised based on the studies’ characteristics, including the year, country and type of evidence source, study aim and objectives, participants, context and methodology. Narrative summaries will outline characteristics of interprofessional breastfeeding curricula, including curricular content, learning outcomes, integration processes, delivery approach, teaching and assessment strategy, IPE approaches, competency frameworks, models or principles and key findings as they relate to the review questions. This information will be analysed to inform future IPE curricula for undergraduate health students.

A reflexive approach will be adopted throughout the review process. The reviewers will critically reflect on the selection of studies, interpretation of the literature and the potential biases inherent in the synthesis process. Reflexivity will involve the reviewers’ being transparent about their perspectives, decisions made during the review process, and how these may influence findings. A reflexive statement will be included in the review discussing these considerations to provide a richer understanding of the choices made and how these may shape the conclusions drawn.

Ethics and consent

Ethics and consent were not required

Data availability statement

No data are associated with this article.

Faculty Opinions recommended

References

Campbell SH, Bernardes N, Tharmaratnam T, et al.: Effectiveness of interprofessional development of foundational lactation open education resources. Clin Simul Nurs. 2024; 95: 101603. Publisher Full Text
Campbell SH, de Oliveira Bernardes N, Tharmaratnam T, et al.: Educational resources and curriculum on lactation for health undergraduate students: a scoping review. J Hum Lact. 2022; 38(1): 89–99. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text
Gary AJ, Birmingham EE, Jones LB: Improving breastfeeding medicine in undergraduate medical education: a student survey and extensive curriculum review with suggestions for improvement. Educ Health (Abingdon). 2017; 30(2): 163–168. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Homeyer S, Hoffmann W, Hingst P, et al.: Effects of Interprofessional Education for medical and nursing students: enablers, barriers and expectations for optimizing future interprofessional collaboration - a qualitative study. BMC Nurs. 2018; 17: 13. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text
Leviniene G, Petrauskiene A, Tamuleviciene E, et al.: The evaluation of knowledge and activities of primary health care professionals in promoting breast-feeding. Medicina (Kaunas). 2009; 45(3): 238–247. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
McFadden A, Gavine A, Renfrew MJ, et al.: Support for healthy breastfeeding mothers with healthy term babies. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017; 2(2): CD001141. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text
Mulcahy H, Philpott LF, O'Driscoll M, et al.: Breastfeeding skills training for health care professionals: a systematic review. Heliyon. 2022; 8(11): e11747. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: Maternal and child nutrition: Public health guideline. (NICE Guideline PH11, updated November 1, 2014). 2008. Reference Source
Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, McInerney P, et al.: Scoping reviews. Aromataris, E., Lockwood, C., Porritt, K., Pilla, B., Jordan, Z., editors, JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. JBI; 2024, 2020. Publisher Full Text
Saragih ID, Arna Uly Tarihoran DET, Sharma S, et al.: A systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes of Interprofessional Education for healthcare students from seven countries. Nurse Educ Pract. 2023; 71: 103683. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, et al.: PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018; 169(7): 467–473. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Whelan B, McEvoy S, Eldin N, et al.: What primary health professionals need to promote breastfeeding. Practice Nursing. 2011; 22(1): 35–39. Publisher Full Text
World Health Organisation: Infant and young child feeding. Infant and young child feeding (who.int).2023. Reference Source
World Health Organization: Framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2010. Reference Source
World Health Organization & UNICEF: Global strategy for infant and young child feeding. World Health Organization, 2003. Reference Source

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VERSION 1 PUBLISHED 22 Jan 2025

Author details Author details

¹ School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Cork, County Cork, Ireland
² Pharmaceutical Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, County Cork, Ireland
³ Pharmacy Department, Grenville Place, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
⁴ La Leche League International, Schaumburg, Illinois, USA
⁵ University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

Elaine Lehane
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Supervision, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Edina Hanley
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Aoife Fleming
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing

Helen Mulcahy
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing

Siobhan Ward
Roles: Writing – Review & Editing

Liz Cogan
Roles: Writing – Review & Editing

Margaret Murphy
Roles: Writing – Review & Editing

Aoife Long
Roles: Writing – Review & Editing

Patricia Leahy-Warren
Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Writing – Review & Editing

Competing interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Grant information

Health Research Board -APRO-2023-015
This review is being undertaken as part of the ‘Maximise support for breastfeeding for sustainable population health and wellbeing: Integrated knowledge translation approach, MaxSBF’ and is funded by the Health Research Board.  
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Article Versions (1)

version 1

Published: 22 Jan 2025, 8:6

https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14018.1

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© 2025 Lehane E et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Lehane E, Hanley E, Fleming A et al. Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol [version 1; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]. HRB Open Res 2025, 8:6 (https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14018.1)

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Key to Reviewer Statuses VIEW HIDE

ApprovedThe paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested

Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit.

Not approvedFundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions

Version 1

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Reviewer Report 25 Mar 2025

Claire O'Donnell, University of Limerick, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland

Approved

https://doi.org/10.21956/hrbopenres.15387.r44916

This protocol is a timely review of educational breastfeeding initiatives of healthcare professionals proposed for undergraduate/pre-registration health students. The robust search strategy and wide sampling population are a strength of review. Clear rationale provided and all steps/processes of this scoping ... Continue reading

This protocol is a timely review of educational breastfeeding initiatives of healthcare professionals proposed for undergraduate/pre-registration health students. The robust search strategy and wide sampling population are a strength of review. Clear rationale provided and all steps/processes of this scoping review are clearly detailed in line with JBI criteria. Use of Covidence in data management supports replication of study by others. Inclusion of reflexivity is commended in supporting transparency. This review is a welcomed piece of work in supporting mothers with breastfeeding.

Is the rationale for, and objectives of, the study clearly described?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate for the research question?

Yes
Are sufficient details of the methods provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
Are the datasets clearly presented in a useable and accessible format?

Yes

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: Expertise in the area of scoping reviews and also breastfeeding

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

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Reviewer Report 05 Mar 2025

Antonio Jesús Ramos-Morcillo, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

Approved

https://doi.org/10.21956/hrbopenres.15387.r46163

The rationale for the study is well-articulated. The authors clearly explain the importance of breastfeeding education, the role of healthcare professionals, and the lack of interprofessional breastfeeding curricula. The objectives are explicitly stated, aiming to identify and summarize interprofessional breastfeeding ... Continue reading

The rationale for the study is well-articulated. The authors clearly explain the importance of breastfeeding education, the role of healthcare professionals, and the lack of interprofessional breastfeeding curricula. The objectives are explicitly stated, aiming to identify and summarize interprofessional breastfeeding education initiatives.
A scoping review is a suitable approach for mapping available literature on interprofessional breastfeeding education. The study follows established guidelines (JBI and PRISMA-ScR), ensuring a systematic and replicable process. The methodology is appropriate for addressing the research question, which focuses on the breadth and nature of existing educational programs rather than effectiveness alone.
The methodology is described in detail, including the search strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, databases consulted, and the process of data extraction. The authors also specify the screening process, involving two independent reviewers, with mechanisms to resolve disagreements. These elements ensure that the study could be replicated by others following the same methodology.
Inclusion criteria. I do not know why speech and language therapist professionals should be included.

Is the rationale for, and objectives of, the study clearly described?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate for the research question?

Yes
Are sufficient details of the methods provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
Are the datasets clearly presented in a useable and accessible format?

Not applicable

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: My area of expertise is implementation of clinical practice guidelines, breastfeeding, evidence-based practice, primary health care.

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

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Reviewer Report 10 Feb 2025

Oluwatosin Leshi, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

Approved with Reservations

https://doi.org/10.21956/hrbopenres.15387.r45157

1. The emphasis in the opening paragraph was on exclusive breastfeeding, however, the scope of the study goes beyond exclusive breastfeeding but the concept of breastfeeding as a whole. The author might want to consider opening the paragraph with global ... Continue reading

1. The emphasis in the opening paragraph was on exclusive breastfeeding, however, the scope of the study goes beyond exclusive breastfeeding but the concept of breastfeeding as a whole. The author might want to consider opening the paragraph with global sub-optimal breastfeeding
2. In the last sentence of paragraph 2, the authors need to specify the type of curricula whether college/university curriculum or breastfeeding education curriculum at hospitals.
3. It is a recommended practice that review protocols are pre-registered to ensure quality outputs. The authors might need to indicate which registration platform was used and possibly the registration number for the protocol.

Is the rationale for, and objectives of, the study clearly described?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate for the research question?

Yes
Are sufficient details of the methods provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
Are the datasets clearly presented in a useable and accessible format?

Yes

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: Maternal and Child Health, Health Disparity, Community-Engaged Research

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard, however I have significant reservations, as outlined above.

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Oluwatosin Leshi, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
Antonio Jesús Ramos-Morcillo, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
Claire O'Donnell, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

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25 Mar 2025 | for Version 1

Claire O'Donnell, University of Limerick, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland

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Approved

This protocol is a timely review of educational breastfeeding initiatives of healthcare professionals proposed for undergraduate/pre-registration health students. The robust search strategy and wide sampling population are a strength of review. Clear rationale provided and all steps/processes of this scoping review are clearly detailed in line with JBI criteria. Use of Covidence in data management supports replication of study by others. Inclusion of reflexivity is commended in supporting transparency. This review is a welcomed piece of work in supporting mothers with breastfeeding.

Is the rationale for, and objectives of, the study clearly described?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate for the research question?

Yes
Are sufficient details of the methods provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
Are the datasets clearly presented in a useable and accessible format?

Yes

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

Expertise in the area of scoping reviews and also breastfeeding

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

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Reviewer Report

13 Views

05 Mar 2025 | for Version 1

Antonio Jesús Ramos-Morcillo, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

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Approved

The rationale for the study is well-articulated. The authors clearly explain the importance of breastfeeding education, the role of healthcare professionals, and the lack of interprofessional breastfeeding curricula. The objectives are explicitly stated, aiming to identify and summarize interprofessional breastfeeding education initiatives.
A scoping review is a suitable approach for mapping available literature on interprofessional breastfeeding education. The study follows established guidelines (JBI and PRISMA-ScR), ensuring a systematic and replicable process. The methodology is appropriate for addressing the research question, which focuses on the breadth and nature of existing educational programs rather than effectiveness alone.
The methodology is described in detail, including the search strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, databases consulted, and the process of data extraction. The authors also specify the screening process, involving two independent reviewers, with mechanisms to resolve disagreements. These elements ensure that the study could be replicated by others following the same methodology.
Inclusion criteria. I do not know why speech and language therapist professionals should be included.

Is the rationale for, and objectives of, the study clearly described?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate for the research question?

Yes
Are sufficient details of the methods provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
Are the datasets clearly presented in a useable and accessible format?

Not applicable

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

My area of expertise is implementation of clinical practice guidelines, breastfeeding, evidence-based practice, primary health care.

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

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Reviewer Report

28 Views

10 Feb 2025 | for Version 1

Oluwatosin Leshi, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

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Approved With Reservations

1. The emphasis in the opening paragraph was on exclusive breastfeeding, however, the scope of the study goes beyond exclusive breastfeeding but the concept of breastfeeding as a whole. The author might want to consider opening the paragraph with global sub-optimal breastfeeding
2. In the last sentence of paragraph 2, the authors need to specify the type of curricula whether college/university curriculum or breastfeeding education curriculum at hospitals.
3. It is a recommended practice that review protocols are pre-registered to ensure quality outputs. The authors might need to indicate which registration platform was used and possibly the registration number for the protocol.

Is the rationale for, and objectives of, the study clearly described?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate for the research question?

Yes
Are sufficient details of the methods provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
Are the datasets clearly presented in a useable and accessible format?

Yes

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

Maternal and Child Health, Health Disparity, Community-Engaged Research

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard, however I have significant reservations, as outlined above.

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[1] Campbell SH, Bernardes N, Tharmaratnam T, et al.: Effectiveness of interprofessional development of foundational lactation open education resources. Clin Simul Nurs. 2024; 95: 101603. Publisher Full Text

[2] Campbell SH, de Oliveira Bernardes N, Tharmaratnam T, et al.: Educational resources and curriculum on lactation for health undergraduate students: a scoping review. J Hum Lact. 2022; 38(1): 89–99. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text

[3] Gary AJ, Birmingham EE, Jones LB: Improving breastfeeding medicine in undergraduate medical education: a student survey and extensive curriculum review with suggestions for improvement. Educ Health (Abingdon). 2017; 30(2): 163–168. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text

[4] Homeyer S, Hoffmann W, Hingst P, et al.: Effects of Interprofessional Education for medical and nursing students: enablers, barriers and expectations for optimizing future interprofessional collaboration - a qualitative study. BMC Nurs. 2018; 17: 13. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text

[5] Leviniene G, Petrauskiene A, Tamuleviciene E, et al.: The evaluation of knowledge and activities of primary health care professionals in promoting breast-feeding. Medicina (Kaunas). 2009; 45(3): 238–247. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text

[6] McFadden A, Gavine A, Renfrew MJ, et al.: Support for healthy breastfeeding mothers with healthy term babies. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017; 2(2): CD001141. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text

[7] Mulcahy H, Philpott LF, O'Driscoll M, et al.: Breastfeeding skills training for health care professionals: a systematic review. Heliyon. 2022; 8(11): e11747. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text

[8] National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: Maternal and child nutrition: Public health guideline. (NICE Guideline PH11, updated November 1, 2014). 2008. Reference Source

[9] Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, McInerney P, et al.: Scoping reviews. Aromataris, E., Lockwood, C., Porritt, K., Pilla, B., Jordan, Z., editors, JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. JBI; 2024, 2020. Publisher Full Text

[10] Saragih ID, Arna Uly Tarihoran DET, Sharma S, et al.: A systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes of Interprofessional Education for healthcare students from seven countries. Nurse Educ Pract. 2023; 71: 103683. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text

[11] Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, et al.: PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018; 169(7): 467–473. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text

[12] Whelan B, McEvoy S, Eldin N, et al.: What primary health professionals need to promote breastfeeding. Practice Nursing. 2011; 22(1): 35–39. Publisher Full Text

[13] World Health Organisation: Infant and young child feeding. Infant and young child feeding (who.int).2023. Reference Source

[14] World Health Organization: Framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2010. Reference Source

[15] World Health Organization & UNICEF: Global strategy for infant and young child feeding. World Health Organization, 2003. Reference Source

Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol

Abstract

Objective

Introduction

Inclusion criteria

Methods

Keywords

Introduction

Objective

Review question

Inclusion criteria

Participants

Concept

Context

Types of sources

Exclusion criteria

Methods

Search strategy

Table 1. Developing the Search Strategy.

Table 2. Search Strategy.

Table 3. Developing the Search Strategy Search Strategy CINAHL (EBSCO Searched September 2024).

Study/Source of evidence selection

Data extraction

Table 4. Data extraction instrument.

Data analysis and presentation

Ethics and consent

Data availability statement

References

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Reviewer Reports

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Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol

Abstract

Objective

Introduction

Inclusion criteria

Methods

Keywords

Introduction

Objective

Review question

Inclusion criteria

Participants

Concept

Context

Types of sources

Exclusion criteria

Methods

Search strategy

Table 1. Developing the Search Strategy.

Table 2. Search Strategy.

Table 3. Developing the Search Strategy Search Strategy CINAHL (EBSCO Searched September 2024).

Study/Source of evidence selection

Data extraction

Table 4. Data extraction instrument.

Data analysis and presentation

Ethics and consent

Data availability statement

References

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Open Peer Review

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Open Peer Review

Reviewer Status

Reviewer Reports

Comments on this article

Competing Interests Policy

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Are you a HRB-funded researcher?

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