Newborn Screening Knowledge and Attitudes Among Midwives and Out-of-Hospital-Birth Parents.
Elena Coupal, Kim Hart, Bob Wong and 1 others
PMID 33079810WHAT IT FOUND
Most out-of-hospital birth parents and midwives supported newborn screening, but parents averaged 62% correct on knowledge questions and many opposed making it mandatory.
Midwives averaged 75% correct.
Key findings
01Most parents participated in newborn screening: 94% participated, 5% did not, and 1% did not know.
02Parents averaged 62% correct on knowledge questions, and midwives averaged 75% correct.
03Although 63% of parents were very supportive and 26% moderately supportive, only 29% said newborn screening should be mandatory.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and drawn from one state, with only 113 parents and 17 midwives completing surveys. Response rates were 31% for parents and 17% for midwives, and respondents may differ from nonrespondents, especially if those who chose screening were more likely to reply. The study was descriptive and did not test an intervention, so it cannot show that education or outreach increases newborn screening participation. The paper reports an inconsistency in the midwife knowledge questions: the methods say the midwife survey contained 6 knowledge questions, while the results report 10 of 13 questions correct.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the knowledge scores or parental support as evidence that a specific education program will improve newborn screening participation. This survey did not test an intervention, and the response rates were 31% for parents and 17% for midwives.