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Why is Folic Acid Education Important?
As health care providers, our goal is to help patients and their families remain as healthy as possible. Nurses are in the unique position of being able to educate and influence all women of reproductive age every day. For example, pediatric nurses can talk about the benefits of Folic Acid to women who are just starting their families. Primary Care nurses and WomenÕs Health nurses can educate young women and women who are of childbearing age but are not considering having children. Although patient education can be time consuming, and it takes a bit of extra effort on the part of the nurse, it is a vital contribution toward the continued health of a patient. If your efforts lead to the prevention of birth defects like spina bifida or anencephaly in just one person, all of the time and energy you invested in educating patients about the importance of folic acid would be worthwhile.
We need to educate all women of childbearing age about taking folic acid daily before conception, even if they are not considering pregnancy. Approach teenage girls with the importance of preparing their bodies with daily folic acid for someday when they are ready to think about pregnancy. Mothers who say that they are finished having babies may still be able to conceive, and they too must be prepared, just in case. There are many ways to make folic acid education fast and simple. Posters, brochures, information packets and post cards are just a few examples of ways to distribute information. Providing women with information about folic acid enables them to have healthier babies, whether they are planning a pregnancy or not. By educating women about folic acid and encouraging them to prepare for the possibility of a pregnancy, we will be improving the quality of their future and contributing to the health of generations to come.
Where do I start?
Start by Getting Involved
Health care providers are important motivators of health behavior change according to our research. You have the potential to influence women of childbearing age to consume folic acid daily to reduce their risk for NTD-affected pregnancies. Not only can you encourage daily folic acid consumption in your face-to-face encounters, but you can influence the community at large. The following are a few ideas for spreading the word about the importance of childbearing age women consuming folic acid daily:
- Ask editors of medical newsletters, journals, or bulletins to print articles about the importance of folic acid.
- Gather a group of health care professionals in the community to be featured on local television and radio shows.
- Convince other health care providers to present the folic acid message to medical staff while on grand rounds.
- Use educational "prescription pads," and give a prescription for folic acid to every woman of childbearing age as a reminder. Encourage your colleagues to do the same.
- Display posters, brochures, flyers, and articles about folic acid in your office and building. (Order free from CDC.)
- Provide a message about folic acid on your phone "hold line."
- Wear a folic acid button that reinforces the message.
Encourage your staff to ask about multivitamins and/or folic acid intake when they take a history.
Where do I find education materials?
A Resource Guide is available to all who request it. CDC, the March of Dimes, and the National Council on Folic Acid will provide materials and training to all partners who wish to help in the campaign. Materials include television, radio, and print PSAs, media kits, posters and brochures. These campaign materials can be used to plan new state and local campaigns or to integrate into current public health efforts. They can be ordered by calling CDC toll-free at 1-888-232-6789.
What other Organizations are participating in the Folic Acid campaign?
Current list of organizations participating with the
National Council on Folic Acid:
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine
American Dietetic Association
American Medical WomenÕs Association
American Nurses Association
American Health Organization
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
American Pharmaceutical Association
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Association of State and Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors
Association of WomenÕs Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Maternal & Child Health Bureau, HRSA, DHHS
National Birth Defects Prevention Network
National Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human
Spina Bifida Association of America
Services Organizations (COSSMHO)
National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition
National March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Pan
What are some examples of information available for distribution to patients?
There are many materials available for distribution. Good examples of theme based materials include:
Before You Know It: Brochures, posters, print ads, fact sheets, and videos are intended for women of childbearing age who are either planning a pregnancy or thinking about becoming pregnant sometime in the near future. These materials are available in English and Spanish. The text from the "Before You Know It" brochure has been made into a black and white fact sheet that is easy to copy and disseminate: It comes in an English Text Version, English Graphics Version, Versi—n en Espa–ol con Gr‡ficas, Versi—n en Espa–ol sin Gr‡ficas.
(Samples of brochures can be found at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/folres.htm)
What You Should Know About Folic Acid: For parents who have lost a child to birth defects.
(Brochure found at www.cdc.gov/ncbdd/folicacid/whatknow/wsk1.htm)
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