Table 2.
Change in knowledge and use of folate supplements by intervention groupa
| Intervention n=138 | Control n=127 | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n (%) | n (%) | ||
| Learnedb that folate can prevent birth defects | 63 (46) | 24 (19) | <0.001 |
| Learned that folate is most important in the very first weeks of pregnancy | 57 (41) | 20 (16) | <0.001 |
| Learned that folate supplements should be taken daily | 8 (6) | 0 (0) | 0.006 |
| Learned that folate supplements can be purchased without a prescription | 59 (43) | 19 (15) | <0.001 |
| Learned one or more things about folate | 93 (67) | 58 (46) | <0.001 |
| Started taking a folate supplement | 50 (36) | 28 (22) | 0.01 |
a
This analysis includes only women who completed the follow up.
b
Learned is used to indicate a positive change in knowledge, meaning that a woman who did not know something at baseline knew the correct answer at follow-up. In this analysis, women who knew that folate can prevent birth defects or were using a supplement at baseline were presumed to have received no benefit from this intervention.