ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Many post-partum women hold risky beliefs about perceived therapeutic benefits of sun-exposure in the post-partum period and infancy. QUESTION: Can a maternity hospital based educational intervention reduce the prevalence of such beliefs among post-partum women? METHODS: In this outcome evaluation of an interventional study, two groups of healthy post-partum women (hospital inpatients) were interviewed, 1-4 days following delivery. The first cross-section (106 women) was recruited prior to in-services for maternity staff; the second (203 women) was recruited after completion of the in-services. Data were compared between the groups. FINDINGS: More pre-intervention than post-intervention women reported they would expose their baby to sunlight to treat suspected jaundice (28.8% vs. 13.3%; p<0.001) or help his/her skin adapt to the sun (10.5% vs. 2.5%; p=0.003); or use sunlight to manage breastfeeding-associated sore/cracked nipples (7.6% vs. 2%; p=0.026). CONCLUSION: This simple, effective educational intervention could be implemented in programmes for parents, health professionals and students.
Subject(s)
Environmental Exposure/adverse effects , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Patient Education as Topic/methods , Postnatal Care/methods , Sunlight/adverse effects , Adult , Culture , Female , Humans , Postpartum Period , Pregnancy , Program Evaluation , Regression Analysis , Risk Reduction Behavior , Socioeconomic Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Anthrax bioterrorism is a new threat to Australians. How they would respond to an anthrax bioterrorism event is unknown. METHOD: A national telephone survey of Australian adults. RESULTS: We successfully interviewed 1001 Australian adults (response rate 63%). The threat of anthrax bioterrorism was of medium to high concern to 57% of survey participants. In the event of an anthrax bioterrorism event, the first point of care would be GPs for 60% of survey participants, and 71% were confident in their doctor's ability to recognise anthrax. Most would accept vaccination if anthrax bioterrorism cases were reported locally, or even elsewhere in Australia. DISCUSSION: Australian GPs should be included in any bioterrorism planning to respond to such threats.
