Lack of knowledge in health professionals: a barrier to providing information to patients?
OBJECTIVE
To assess obstetricians' and midwives' knowledge of routine prenatal screening tests for fetal abnormality and factors associated with such knowledge.


METHODS
Questionnaire assessment of antenatal clinic staff.


METHODS
Six hospitals within the United Kingdom (four district general hospitals in London, one district general hospital in Wales, and one teaching hospital in Wales), offering routine prenatal screening tests.


METHODS
29 obstetricians and 97 midwives were invited to participate, of whom 21 and 70 respectively responded to the questionnaire.


METHODS
Knowledge of prenatal tests, according to 19 item multiple choice questionnaire, reluctance to disclose uncertainty, and clinical experience.


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 72% (91/126). In all, 43% of midwives and 14% of obstetricians obtained correct responses on fewer than half the items. Reluctance to disclose uncertainty to patients was associated in obstetricians with having less knowledge about prenatal testing (r = -0.50; p < 0.025, Pearson product moment correlation) and in midwives with more clinical experience (r = 0.43; p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of knowledge and greater clinical experience seem to be important barriers to providing patients with information about prenatal screening tests.
United Medical and Dental Schools (UMDS), Guy's Campus, London.
D K
DK
Smith
J
J
Slack
R W
RW
Shaw
T M
TM
Marteau
D003144:Communication Barriers; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce