WRITTEN PATIENT INFORMATION ABOUT TRIPLE-MARKER SCREENING - A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL

Objective: To investigate to what extent a newly revised educational p amphlet on triple-marker screening improves patient knowledge and to i dentify subgroups of women who may not benefit from these materials. M ethods: Women in six geographically and demographically diverse Ontari o sites were allocated randomly to receive the pamphlet on triple-mark er screening or a similar-appearing educational pamphlet on daily acti vities during pregnancy. The primary outcome measure was the Maternal Serum Screening Knowledge Questionnaire, a previously validated 14-ite m scale. Results: Baseline demographic, obstetric, and medical factors were comparable in the intervention and control groups, as were measu res of previous exposure to triple-marker screening. Knowledge scores were significantly higher among the 133 women receiving the interventi on pamphlet than among 64 women who received the control pamphlet (0.8 9 versus 0.52 on a scale from -2 to +2, P < .001). Subgroups not benef iting from the pamphlet on triple-marker screening were women age 25 a nd younger and those not speaking English at home. Those who had compl eted university or postgraduate education had high levels of knowledge with and without the pamphlet. Conclusion: Written patient informatio n can contribute in an important way to patient knowledge about triple -marker screening. Providers of antenatal care should be made aware of the value of written patient information as well as the limitations f or some subgroups of women. These subgroups are likely to require addi tional educational materials and resources. It would be appropriate to make these materials available to the general public and pregnant wom en in their physicians' offices. (C) 1997 by The American College of O bstetricians and Gynecologists.