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177130 Characteristics of California Latinas age 18-44 who do not consume daily folic acid supplements

Monday, October 27, 2008: 11:10 AM

Aldona M. Herrndorf, MPH , California Department of Public Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Center for Family Health, Sacramento, CA
Suzanne C. Haydu, MPH, RD , California Department of Public Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Center for Family Health, Sacramento, CA
Karen C. Ramstrom, DO, MSPH , California Department of Public Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Center for Family Health, Sacramento, CA
Eugene R. Takahashi, PhD, MPH , California Department of Public Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Center for Family Health, Sacramento, CA
Background: Rates of neural tube defects (NTDs) among Hispanic infants are twice that of Asians, African Americans, and nearly twice that of Caucasian infants.(1) Daily intake of 400µg of folic acid prior to and in early pregnancy can reduce the risk for NTDs by as much as 80%. However, a recent study of California women found that the prevalence of folic acid supplementation declined over time among Latinas age 18-44.(2) To better target interventions for reducing NTD disparities, the current study characterizes Latinas who do not follow the national recommendations for daily folic acid supplementation.

Methods: We calculate the likelihood of following national recommendations for folic acid supplementation by select characteristics of Latinas age 18-44 using data from the 2005 California Women's Health Survey, the only year for which acculturation information is available.

Results: Latinas who do not consume daily folic acid supplements are more likely to have lower acculturation scores (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.47, 2.86), lower educational attainment (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.44, 2.73), experienced food insecurity (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.22, 2.31), and used community clinics (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.30, 3.00), or have no usual source of care (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.15, 3.33). Age, parity, and participation in food assistance programs do not appear to influence whether Latinas consumed folic acid supplements.

Conclusions and Implications for Practice: When developing interventions in California to reduce disparities in NTDs, acculturation level, educational attainment, and healthcare seeking behaviors of the targeted audience may need to be considered.

References

1) California Birth Defects Monitoring Program. Neural tube defects. Available at http://www.cbdmp.org/bd_neural.htm.

2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trends in Folic Acid Supplement Intake Among Women of Reproductive Age --- California, 2002-2006. MMWR 2007;56(42):1106-1109).

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand and recognize the importance of increasing folic acid supplementation in Latinas of reproductive age. 2. List at least five characteristics of California Latinas not currently following the national recommendations for folic acid supplementation. 3. Recognize the strength of on-going behavioral health surveillance in selecting and developing health intervention strategies.

Keywords: Latinas, Birth Defects

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been working in the area of health services research for the past 14 years, and most recently in the area of maternal, child and adolescent health. Over the past two years I have become increasingly familiar with the area of folic acid supplementation, and have published an MMWR on the intake of folic acid among California women. My proposed abstract will expand on this topic area, and will provide current information useful in formulating strategies to increase folic acid intake among Latinas of reproductive age.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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