[Evaluation of knowledge, attitudes and practice in healthy women of childbearing age concerning prophylactic folic acid--preliminary report].
Use of folic acid supplements before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy, is associated with a reduced incidence of neural tube defects. The Ministry of Health guidelines recommend the use of folic acid supplements by all women in childbearing age. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of women in childbearing age with regard to the effectiveness of folic acid prophylaxis in neural tube foetal defects. The effect of the education al level on knowledge about folic acid supplementation and its implementation was also studied. Data were collected by questionnaires administered by trained staff in July 1999 in 8 Primary Health Centres in Warsaw on a sample of 400 women aged 15-50. Only 52.8% of women reported ever hearing of or reading about folic acid, 15% reported that folic acid helped to reduce the risk for neural tube defects. The most commonly cited sources of information were the woman's general practitioner (43.0%) and magazines (41.7%). Overall, 13% of women reported taking multivitamins containing folic acid on a daily basis. Failure to take supplements was significantly associated with lower education. Educational interventions are required to inform women of the benefit of peri-conceptional folate supplementation and to increase folate intake among them.
Zakład Zdrowia Publicznego i Medycyny Szkolnej IMD, Instytut Matki i Dziecka w Warszawie.
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A
Szumska
J
J
Mazur
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011044:Poland; D011247:Pregnancy
D005492:Folic Acid