Background: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) regularly evaluate infant feeding and child anthropometric outcomes in practice, and as part of research studies. Such outcomes include, for instance, duration of breastfeeding, timing of introduction of solids, weight, and body composition. Little is known about HCPs experiences and preferences regarding
measurement of such outcomes in practice, however. Understanding HCP experiences and preferences is necessary for better, HCP-informed approaches to screening and assessment in the future.
Aim: The aim of this study is to better understand HCPs experiences of evaluating infant feeding and child anthropometric outcomes in practice. The study also aims to examine HCP preferences for conducting evaluation and measurement, and to explore aspects of HPC/ parent/ caregiver interaction and communication regarding measurement of these
outcomes. As this is an exploratory study, hypotheses are not proposed.
Methods: An online international cross-sectional survey will be conducted. Participants will be any HCPs who provide care to infants in the first 12 months, and will be recruited via email contacts to professional organisations to share recruitment information. Convenience sampling via social media will also be conducted. This survey will ask about HCPs experiences of using screening and measurement tools such as surveys/questionnaires, and clinical measures, and their preferences for how measurement is conducted and communicated to parents/caregivers of infants in practice. Survey questions will include both closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics; qualitative data will be analysed using thematic analysis.
Key Outputs: The study findings will be presented concisely and visually in a “Research Snapshot”. An empirical paper will also be prepared, and the findings will be presented at a local and/or national conference.
