title: The trick of probabilities: pregnant women's interpretations of maternal serum screening results in Japan.
abstract: This study aimed to explore how pregnant Japanese women interpret maternal serum screening test results presented as probabilities and to consider the possible methods to improve women's understanding of the results. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 women. Data collection and analysis were performed concurrently, based on the grounded theory approach. We showed that the participants interpreted the test results using various criteria, including information from obstetricians, previously experienced risk probabilities, subjective interpretations, and comparisons with other women. The explanations given by health-care professionals affected the participants' interpretation of the probability of risk and their recognition of false-negative results. Therefore, health-care professionals should explain the meaning of the probability test results and confirm how women interpret them.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan. mikiko-a@musashino-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Mikiko Aoki
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007564:Japan; D008403:Mass Screening; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D010465:Perception; D018743:Perinatal Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research