Exploring the Information Provision and In-service Training of Newborn Screening in Tainan

Objective: To explore the information provision and in-service training for the providers of newborn screening (NBS). Materials and Methods: At 15 obstetric clinics/hospitals in Tainan City, southwestern Taiwan, 22 information providers were interviewed. Using a content analysis method, transcriptions of interview data were analyzed to demonstrate the process of information provision of NBS and the types of in-service training for information providers. Results: Although most clinics/hospitals provide the NBS pamphlets to parents after delivery, they do not provide particular verbal explanations. The information providers were not systematically trained. They often searched for relevant information in the NBS pamphlets or through their senior colleagues. Conclusions: It is crucial to establish a systematic education program for information providers to promote the quality of information provision for NBS. A further study to investigate the information needs of the parents of newborns is necessary. Moreover, the content items developed from this study could be the basis for further questionnaire development.