Evaluation of Women's Knowledge Levels About Folic Acid; An Example of a University Hospital

Abstract

AIM: Folic acid decreases physiologically during pregnancy and this situation predisposes to congenital anomalies such as neural tube defects and spina bifida. The aim of our study was to measure the level of knowledge of women about the use of folic acid in the preconceptional period. METHODS: In this study, we conducted a questionnaire study questioning the level of knowledge about folic acid among women aged 18-49 years and female health care workers who applied to Van YYÜ Dursun Odabaş Medical Center Family Medicine outpatient clinics and statistical analyses were evaluated in SPSS (ver. 20) program. RESULTS: Of the 400 women who participated in our study, 47% were healthcare workers and 53% were patients. To the question "Have you heard of folic acid before?" 78.3% of the participants answered "Yes" and 21.9% answered "No". "Among 206 individuals with a history of previous pregnancy, 51.9% answered "Yes" and 48.1% answered "No" to the question. In the study, it was observed that the level of knowledge about folic acid and folic acid use was higher in younger age groups, health workers, single women, university graduates, those with higher income levels and those with fewer parities. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the level of knowledge and awareness of folic acid is not at an adequate level and folic acid awareness of women of reproductive age should be increased. In order to increase this awareness at the social level, family physicians, midwives or nurses, whom the public will reach in the first place, should inform the patients.