Table 5: Respondents' suggestions for changing the MSS program* | ||||||
Group; no. (and %) of respondents | ||||||
Suggestion | Family physicians n = 188 | Obstetricians n = 68 | Midwives n = 11 | |||
Offer to select group of women only (i.e., those at high risk) | 49 | (26) | 9 | (13) | 1 | (9) |
Decrease false-positive rate | 33 | (18) | 12 | (18) | 1 | (9) |
Offer only to women > 35 yr | 23 | (12) | 6 | (9) | 2 | (18) |
Ensure cost-effectiveness | 9 | (5) | 14 | (21) | 0 | |
Improve patient information (explain screening and risk prediction, increase public awareness, develop educational videotape) | 18 | (10) | 4 | (6) | 1 | (9) |
Make offering the test elective | 21 | (11) | 2 | (3) | 0 | |
Change timing of test (make it earlier, shorten time to get results and thus allow earlier amniocentesis) | 8 | (4) | 5 | (7) | 3 | (27) |
Offer financial compensation to providers for counselling | 9 | (5) | 3 | (4) | 0 | |
Have women pay for test | 10 | (5) | 2 | (3) | 0 | |
Fund differently from global health budget | 7 | (4) | 4 | (6) | 0 | |
Improve health care provider information | 7 | (4) | 1 | (1) | 0 | |
Other | 42 | (22) | 19 | (28) | 5 | (45) |
*Multiple responses are possible.
Although 62 obstetricians indicated that the MSS program should be changed, 68 offered suggestions. Includes the following: "exclude Down syndrome," "mention abortion," "need guidelines for women over 35" and "no routine dating ultrasound." |