TY - JOUR
T1 - Providing information regarding exposures in pregnancy
T2 - A survey of North American Teratology Information Services
AU - Hancock, Rebecca L.
AU - Ungar, Wendy J.
AU - Einarson, Adrienne
AU - Goodstadt, Michael
AU - Koren, Gideon
PY - 2008/4
Y1 - 2008/4
N2 - Purpose: Teratology Information Services (TIS) provide information on exposures during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Maintaining ongoing funding is a challenge. The purpose was to gather descriptive information on current TIS operations. Methods: All North American TIS (16 American, 2 Canadian) completed a detailed survey. Results: Service goal ranked as most important was correction of risk misperceptions. Inquiries were primarily for medications (mean 43.5%, S.D. 14.1), lactation exposures, and workplace exposures. Median employees per TIS: three (range 1-12.5). Two TIS only counsel health care professionals (HCPs). Main callers to remaining TIS were pregnant women (mean 46.8%, S.D. 22.8), physicians, and nurses. Calls per week varied (median 20, range 4-600). Median annual budget: US$ 69,000 (range $3000-335,000). Seventeen TIS collect patient data for research. Conclusions: This survey was the first to document TIS operations in North America and demonstrates a spectrum of clinical and research activities, and provides data for a future cost-benefit analysis of TIS.
AB - Purpose: Teratology Information Services (TIS) provide information on exposures during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Maintaining ongoing funding is a challenge. The purpose was to gather descriptive information on current TIS operations. Methods: All North American TIS (16 American, 2 Canadian) completed a detailed survey. Results: Service goal ranked as most important was correction of risk misperceptions. Inquiries were primarily for medications (mean 43.5%, S.D. 14.1), lactation exposures, and workplace exposures. Median employees per TIS: three (range 1-12.5). Two TIS only counsel health care professionals (HCPs). Main callers to remaining TIS were pregnant women (mean 46.8%, S.D. 22.8), physicians, and nurses. Calls per week varied (median 20, range 4-600). Median annual budget: US$ 69,000 (range $3000-335,000). Seventeen TIS collect patient data for research. Conclusions: This survey was the first to document TIS operations in North America and demonstrates a spectrum of clinical and research activities, and provides data for a future cost-benefit analysis of TIS.
KW - Health services research
KW - Information specialists
KW - Maternal health services
KW - Survey
KW - Teratology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=43849107156&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.reprotox.2008.02.005
DO - 10.1016/j.reprotox.2008.02.005
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
C2 - 18423962
AN - SCOPUS:43849107156
SN - 0890-6238
VL - 25
SP - 381
EP - 387
JO - Reproductive Toxicology
JF - Reproductive Toxicology
IS - 3
ER -