Folic Acid: A Public Education Campaign

1
Folic AcidA Public Education Campaign

• Kristina Kutter, MPH
• Contra Costa FIMR Program
• Martinez, CA
• August 13, 2004
• Kkutter_at_hsd.co.contra-costa.ca.us

2
Issues Identified by the CRT

• Several women in our case load have had a loss
  due to a neural tube defect,
• Many women were not aware of recommendations
  regarding folic acid intake,
• Some women received folic acid education from
  providers, yet did not take the next step to
  purchase supplements, and
• There is a lack of evidence that women receive
  consistent and comprehensive folic acid education
  from their providers.

3
CRT Recommendation

• CRT recommended a community-wide education
  campaign be conducted.
• Multiple funding sources were obtained
• March of Dimes Community Grant to develop and
  implement campaign (January through December
  2003)
• The USDA, California Nutrition Network from to
  continue and expand the campaign (October 2003 to
  September 2004)
• Donation of 1000 bottles of multivitamins from
  Wyeth Laboratories

4
Purpose of the Campaign

• Ensure women of reproductive age in Contra Costa
  County receive comprehensive information on folic
  acid.
• Implement a community campaign using a variety of
  media outlets.
• Train health providers on folic acid.
• Provide educational materials.

5
Multiple Levels of Outreach
Reaches a limited number of clients but
information is detailed and provided in
one-on-one setting
Reaches large groups of women in infant feeding
classes, information can be somewhat tailored to
group
Prenatal Providers Home Visitors
WIC
Reaches large numbers of women but information is
less detailed
Media
6
Campaign Components

• Collaboration with local programs
• Media activities
• Educational materials incentive items
• Provider trainings

7
Collaborative Efforts

• Collaborated with perinatal home visiting
  programs and WIC on
• Overall campaign design and implementation
• Establishment of standard protocol for folic acid
  education for home visiting programs
• Development of education materials

8
Media Activities

• On-screen advertising in movie theaters and on
  local cable TV
• Transit advertising on buses and in rapid transit
  stations
• Educational flyers mailed to food stamp
  recipients
• Sponsored episode on folic acid on local
  Spanish-language talk show
• Web page http//www.cchealth.org/fmch/folic_acid.
  html
• Press releases news articles

9
Media On-screen Advertising
Sample of ad shown in movie theaters and on
television
10
Media Transit Advertising
Sample of ad posted on backs of buses
11
Education Materials Incentives

• Magnets
• Brochures
• English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Laotian, Russian
  and Farsi
• Fact sheet (English/Spanish)
• Tip sheet to facilitate discussing folic acid
  with clients
• Supplements

12
Provider Trainings

• 1-hour, interactive training in English or
  Spanish
• Training covers
• Neural tube defects (NTD)
• Folic acids role in preventing NTDs
• Recommended daily intake of folic acid
• Sources of folic acid
• Substances that can block folic acid
• Provider educational guidelines
• Client education materials provided
• Providers targeted clinic staff, home visiting
  staff, community health workers, public health
  nurses, public health interpreters and WIC
  nutrition staff

13
Sustainability

• Brochures and other materials available as free
  PDF files on project website or on CD
• http//www.cchealth.org/fmch/folic_acid.html
• CDs with all project materials to be distributed
  to all health jurisdictions in California
• Future trainings available on request
• Encourage adoption of standard protocols on folic
  acid education

14
Outcomes

• Conducted 17 trainings to over 270 providers
• Trained providers reached an estimated 4,500
  women in the first four months after training
  attendance
• Media activities have potentially reached more
  than 500,000 residents