Information about prenatal screening for Down syndrome: ethnic differences in knowledge.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the provision of information about prenatal screening for Down syndrome to women of Dutch, Turkish and Surinamese origins, and to examine the effects of this provision on ethnic differences in knowledge about Down syndrome and prenatal screening.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 105 Dutch, 100 Turkish and 65 Surinamese pregnant women attending midwifery or obstetrical practices in The Netherlands. Each woman was personally interviewed for 3 weeks (mean) after booking for prenatal care.


RESULTS
Most women reported to have received oral and/or written information about prenatal screening by their midwife or obstetrician at booking for prenatal care. Turkish and Surinamese women less often read the information than Dutch women, more often reported difficulties in understanding the information, and had less knowledge about Down syndrome, prenatal screening and amniocentesis. Language skills and educational level contributed most to the explanation of these ethnic variations.


CONCLUSIONS
Although most Dutch, Turkish and Surinamese women reported to have received information from their midwife or obstetrician, ethnic differences in knowledge about Down syndrome and prenatal screening are substantial.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions to improve the provision of information to women from ethnic minority groups should especially be aimed at overcoming language barriers, and targeting information to the women's abilities to comprehend the information about prenatal screening for Down syndrome.
Fransen
Mirjam P
MP
Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.fransen@erasmusmc.nl
Hajo Wildschut
Vogel
Ineke
I
Mackenbach
Johan
J
Steegers
Eric
E
Essink-Bot
Marie-Louise
ML
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D032882:Comprehension; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D009426:Netherlands / Q000208:ethnology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D013532:Suriname / Q000208:ethnology; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology