Journals / Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 48 Sayı: 6

Knowledge and Awareness of Inherited Metabolic Disorders and The Newborn Screening Program Among Pregnant Women: A Health Literacy Perspective

Gebelerin Kalıtsal Metabolik Hastalıklar ve Yenidoğan Tarama Programı Konusundaki Bilgi ve Farkındalık Düzeyleri: Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Perspektifi

Ayşe Gizem Yıldız(Ankara Etlik City Hospital)0009-0001-6332-6724
Kübra Tarazan Türk(Ankara Etlik City Hospital)0009-0003-5305-7545
Ali Kansu Tehçi(Ankara Etlik City Hospital)0000-0002-9914-3321
Emine Polat(Ankara Etlik City Hospital)0000-0003-3034-5037
Pages
1042–1052
Publication Date
2026-09-22
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings cannot be generalized to the overall population and were not associated with an understanding of IMDs.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Newborn screening is a cornerstone of preventive child health, and understanding its rationale is one of the most important factors for its effectiveness.
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Key Findings & Data:Pregnant women aged ≥18 years who did not require emergency intervention were included.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings cannot be generalized to the overall population and were not associated with an understanding of IMDs.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:sağlık okuryazarlığı · kalıtsal metabolik hastalıklar · MHELIP

Abstract

Newborn screening is a cornerstone of preventive child health, and understanding its rationale is one of the most important factors for its effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate pregnant women’s attitudes and opinions regarding the newborn heel-prick screening program and to examine the relationship between these attitudes and opinions and maternal health literacy. Pregnant women aged ≥18 years who did not require emergency intervention were included. Participants’ sociodemographic and pregnancy-related characteristics and awareness of inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) were assessed using a questionnaire, and the Maternal Health Literacy Inventory in Pregnancy was used to assess health literacy. 127 pregnant women with a mean age of 28.9 ± 5.1 years were included. 29.1% of participants rated their knowledge of the NBS as adequate, and 23.6% rated their knowledge of IMDs as adequate. Participants most often described the main purpose of NBS as early disease diagnosis. The total MHELIP score ranged from 44.7 to 100.0, with a median of 77.6, and 107 were considered to have desired health literacy. Participants with desired health literacy reported family physicians and nurses as sources of information and were more likely to identify the NBS’s main purpose. Support for expanding NBS was reported by 89 participants. Higher maternal health literacy was associated with more frequent reliance on healthcare professionals as sources of information and more accurate identification of the main purpose of NBS. The findings cannot be generalized to the overall population and were not associated with an understanding of IMDs.

Özet

Yenidoğan taraması, koruyucu çocuk sağlığının temel taşlarından biridir ve gerekçesinin anlaşılması, etkinliğinin en önemli unsurlarından biridir. Bu çalışma, gebe kadınların yenidoğan topuk kanı tarama programına ilişkin tutum ve görüşlerini değerlendirmeyi ve bu tutum ile görüşler arasındaki ilişkiyi maternal sağlık okuryazarlığı ile incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Acil müdahale gerektirmeyen, 18 yaş ve üzeri gebeler çalışmaya dahil edildi. Katılımcıların sosyodemografik ve gebelikle ilişkili özellikleri ile kalıtsal metabolik hastalıklar (KMH) hakkındaki farkındalıkları bir anket aracılığıyla değerlendirildi ve gebelikte maternal sağlık okuryazarlığı, Gebelikte Maternal Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Envanteri (MHELIP) kullanılarak değerlendirildi. Ortalama yaşı 28.9 ± 5.1 yıl olan toplam 127 gebe kadın çalışmaya dahil edildi. Katılımcıların %29.1’i yenidoğan taraması (NBS) hakkında yetersiz bilgiye sahip olduğunu ifade ederken, %23.6’sı KMH’lar hakkında bilgi sahibi olduğunu kabul etti. Katılımcıların çoğu, NBS’nin erken hastalık tanısı için olduğunu belirtti. Toplam MHELIP puanları 44.7 ile 100.0 arasında olup, medyan değer 77.6 idi. Katılımcıların bilgi ediniminde en güvenilir sağlık kaynağı olarak aile hekimleri ve hemşireler gösterildi ve NBS’nin temel amacını doğru belirleme olasılıkları daha yüksekti. NBS’nin yaygınlaştırılmasına destek, katılımcıların 89’u tarafından bildirildi. Daha yüksek maternal sağlık okuryazarlığı düzeyi, bilgi kaynağı olarak sağlık profesyonellerine daha sık başvurulması ve yenidoğan tarama programının temel amacının daha doğru şekilde tanımlanması ile ilişkili bulunmuştur. Bulgular genel popülasyona genellenemez ve kalıtsal metabolik hastalıkların anlaşılmasıyla ilişkili bulunmamıştır.

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Cite This Article

Aktaşoğlu, E. Ö., Yıldız, A. G., Kahraman, N. Ç., Türk, K. T., Tehçi, A. K., Polat, E. (2026). Knowledge and Awareness of Inherited Metabolic Disorders and The Newborn Screening Program Among Pregnant Women: A Health Literacy Perspective. Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi, Cilt: 48 Sayı: 6, 1042–1052. https://doi.org/10.20515/otd.1983178

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