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Assessing Awareness, Knowledge and Use of Folic Acid in Kansas Women Between the Ages of 18 and 44 Years

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Abstract

Taking folic acid daily, before and during early pregnancy, has been proven to reduce neural tube birth defects (NTD). Unfortunately, many women fail to take it daily as recommended. Objectives To assess women’s self-reported awareness, knowledge and use of folic acid. Methods Data were obtained by cross-sectional, random digit-dialing, computer-assisted telephone interviews with 250 women in Kansas. Associations were determined by chi-squared analysis. Results Eighty-eight percent of childbearing age women in Kansas have a general awareness of folic acid, 20% have knowledge that it reduces birth defects, but only 25% report taking it daily. Awareness was associated with high school or greater education (P < .0001), incomes over $25,000 (P = 0.0003), being married (P = 0.0035), being white (P = 0.0135), having health insurance (P = 0.0152) and being capable of pregnancy (P = 0.0119). Knowledge that folic acid reduces birth defects was associated with being aware of the USPHS recommendation (P < .0001), being capable of pregnancy (P = 0.0043), being pregnant (P = 0.0061), and being aware of folic acid (P = 0.0379). Taking folic acid daily was associated with currently being pregnant (P = 0.0126). Conclusions Women less likely to take folic acid on a daily basis were young, non-Caucasians who reported less education, less income and no health insurance. Based upon these data, multi-level education campaigns that specifically target lower-SES women should be considered.

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Acknowledgements

This study received funding from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. The authors gratefully acknowledge the approval from the Kansas and Western Missouri Chapter of the March of Dimes for the project, and access to their Gallup Poll survey results. The authors wish to express their appreciation for the advice and critique of faculty members at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, specifically Michael Fox, ScD, Norge Jerome, PhD, and Matthew S. Mayo, PhD, who provided statistical critique, and the March of Dimes. The researchers are thankful for the information shared by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Center for Health and Environmental Statistics, Office of Health Care Information, the Bureau of Health Promotion, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the Bureau for Children, Youth and Families. The authors acknowledge the significant contribution of Cathy Carroll, PhD, for her critical editorial review and comments. All authors acknowledge they have no financial or other competing interests that may have influenced or created bias in this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, 1750 Independence Ave., Kansas City, MO, 64106, USA

    Glynda F. Sharp, Melissa L. Hyder & V. James Guillory

  2. School of Public Affairs, University of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Lorenda A. Naylor

  3. Kansas City Health Department, Kansas City, MO, USA

    Jinwen Cai

  4. St. Louis University Hospital, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Pradeep Chandra

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  1. Glynda F. Sharp
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Correspondence to Glynda F. Sharp.

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Sharp, G.F., Naylor, L.A., Cai, J. et al. Assessing Awareness, Knowledge and Use of Folic Acid in Kansas Women Between the Ages of 18 and 44 Years. Matern Child Health J 13, 814–821 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-008-0414-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-008-0414-5

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