There were factors that are particularly associated with lower rates of use of folic acid supplements .
One of the most important of these is the link with unintended pregnancy , followed by age , socio-economic and ethnic group .
Integrated campaigns can increase the use of folic acid supplements to some extent .
Research trials indicated that : ( i ) printed re sources and the mass media used in isolation are not effective in the longer term ; and ( ii ) health-care-based initiatives can be effective and are more likely to be successful if they include making supplements easily available .
Campaigns and interventions have the potential to exacerbate socio-economic inequalities in folic acid use .
However , even high- quality campaigns that increase use result in under half of women in the target group taking supplements
OBJECTIVE To provide a basis for making recommendations on the potential to improve use of folic acid supplements in the UK , particularly among low-income and young women .
Randomized trial of a physician-based intervention to increase the use of folic acid supplements among women.
OBJECTIVE Fewer than one third of American women take folic acid daily , although many women report that they would take folic acid if their physicians advised them to do so . This study determined the impact of a physician intervention during routine gynecologic visits on folic acid supplementation . STUDY DESIGN Patients were assigned r and omly to receive brief folic acid counseling , a reminder phone call , and 30 folic acid tablets ( n = 162 women ; intervention group ) or to receive counseling about other preventive health behaviors and a folic acid informational pamphlet ( n = 160 women ; control group ) . Self-reported folic acid use was compared at baseline and at 2 months . RESULTS Of the 279 patients who completed the study , weekly folic acid intake increased in the intervention group by 68 % , compared with 20 % in the control group ( P = .008 ) . No significant differences were found in daily intake . The women who were most influenced by the intervention were black and lower income and not planning pregnancies . CONCLUSION With little effort expended to encourage folic acid use , gynecologists could potentially reduce the risk of folate-preventable birth defects among their patients by as much as 11 %
There were factors that are particularly associated with lower rates of use of folic acid supplements .
One of the most important of these is the link with unintended pregnancy , followed by age , socio-economic and ethnic group .
Integrated campaigns can increase the use of folic acid supplements to some extent .
Research trials indicated that : ( i ) printed re sources and the mass media used in isolation are not effective in the longer term ; and ( ii ) health-care-based initiatives can be effective and are more likely to be successful if they include making supplements easily available .
Campaigns and interventions have the potential to exacerbate socio-economic inequalities in folic acid use .
However , even high- quality campaigns that increase use result in under half of women in the target group taking supplements
OBJECTIVE To provide a basis for making recommendations on the potential to improve use of folic acid supplements in the UK , particularly among low-income and young women .