Congenital Cytomegalovirus Reference Material: A Content Analysis of Coverage and Accuracy

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading cause of birth defects and developmental delays in the United States. However, only 13–22 % of women in the United States have heard of CMV. This research assessed (1) the quantity and accuracy of CMV information included on pregnancy-related websites and reference books, and (2) whether CMV information was included less often than information about other birth defects or infections. A content analysis of 37 pregnancy reference books and seven websites was conducted. The data collection instrument represented categories describing CMV, transmission, and prevention. CMV subject matter experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed the instrument. Each book and website was coded independently by two different coders. Twenty-one reference books and seven websites included CMV content. CMV was less likely to be included as a topic than other infections or birth defects. There were fewer sentences about CMV than toxoplasmosis, Down syndrome, or HIV. Book length was associated with increased likelihood of including CMV. How to prevent CMV transmission was discussed only half the time. Though limited, nearly all the CMV information was accurate. Pregnancy-related reference books and websites contain limited CMV information. Books are less likely to include CMV as compared to other infections and birth defects. Most of the CMV information is accurate. There is inadequate coverage given to prevention of CMV transmission, which may contribute to CMV remaining a continued leading cause of birth defects in the United States

Correlates of Continued Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy: Implications for Health Promotion

Purpose: Too many women continue to drink alcohol during recognized pregnancy. This purpose of this study was to explore factors related to alcohol use during pregnancy. Design: Data came from reviews of charts from women that called the California Teratogen Information Service (CTIS) at some point during the time period from 1981 and 2006 and enrolled in a pregnancy outcome study. Subjects: Approximately 40% of the 181 women in the study sample were 25 years of age and younger, and most women had not previously given birth (61.3%). Measures: Chart extraction data included whether or not women discontinued alcohol consumption at anytime during pregnancy, at what point in their pregnancy they first contacted CTIS, and other demographic information. Results: Approximately 20% of women continued to drink alcohol throughout pregnancy and 37.6% contacted CTIS after the first trimester. Initiating contact with CTIS after the first trimester (p < .01) and being older than 25 years of age (p < .05) were both associated with continued drinking throughout pregnancy. Conclusion: Older women, still of reproductive age, may benefit most from health promotion interventions that focus on alcohol consumption during pregnancy

Adoption and use of social media among public health departments

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Effective communication is a critical function within any public health system. Social media has enhanced communication between individuals and organizations and has the potential to augment public health communication. However, there is a lack of reported data on social media adoption within public health settings. The purposes of this study were to assess: 1) the extent to which state public health departments (SHDs) are using social media; 2) which social media applications are used most often; and 3) how often social media is used interactively to engage audiences.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a non-experimental, cross sectional study of SHD social media sites. Screen capture software Snag-It^®was used to obtain screenshots of SHD social media sites across five applications. These sites were coded for social media presence, interactivity, reach, and topic.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sixty percent of SHDs reported using at least one social media application. Of these, 86.7% had a Twitter account, 56% a Facebook account, and 43% a YouTube channel. There was a statistically significant difference between average population density and use of social media (p = .01). On average, SHDs made one post per day on social media sites, and this was primarily to distribute information; there was very little interaction with audiences. SHDs have few followers or friends on their social media sites. The most common topics for posts and tweets related to staying healthy and diseases and conditions. Limitations include the absence of a standard by which social media metrics measure presence, reach, or interactivity; SHDs were only included if they had an institutionally maintained account; and the study was cross sectional.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Social media use by public health agencies is in the early adoption stage. However, the reach of social media is limited. SHDs are using social media as a channel to distribute information rather than capitalizing on the interactivity available to create conversations and engage with the audience. If public health agencies are to effectively use social media then they must develop a strategic communication plan that incorporates best practices for expanding reach and fostering interactivity and engagement.</p

Women's attitudes toward practicing cytomegalovirus prevention behaviors

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection causes severe disabilities and developmental delays. Women's awareness of CMV is low. Only about half of healthcare providers report counseling women about behaviors to reduce CMV risk and public health education is limited. Routine CMV counseling is not recommend. Providers may lack time to counsel women; other conditions may take priority for counseling; there may be a perception that women are reluctant to follow advice. This cross-sectional descriptive study examined women's attitudes toward CMV prevention behaviors. Data were collected from an online panel of 840 U.S. women 18–40 years of age, who had a child <5 years of age, and were pregnant or planning a pregnancy in the next 12 months. Questions assessed CMV awareness, frequency of past behaviors that transmit CMV, and attitudes toward eight CMV prevention behaviors. Only 15.5% of women were somewhat or very familiar with CMV. Very few women (6.1%) reported hearing from their provider about CMV. Women held positive attitudes toward the CMV prevention behaviors and perceived them as feasible. Least positive attitudes were toward not kissing a child on the lips and not sharing foods. Predictors of positive attitudes were CMV awareness, past behavior, talking to a healthcare provider, and perceived risk reduction. Healthcare providers and public health practitioners should collaborate to increase CMV awareness. Encouraging behaviors to reduce saliva sharing may result in greater gains in reducing CMV infection. Keywords: Cytomegalovirus, Communication, Attitudes, Birth defects, Preventio

Effectiveness of message framing on women’s intention to perform cytomegalovirus prevention behaviors: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of message framing on women’s intention to perform cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevention behaviors involving handwashing, not sharing food and eating utensils, not kissing a child on the lips and not placing a pacifier in the mouth after it was in a child’s mouth. Methods An online panel of women 18–40 years, who were pregnant or planning a pregnancy were randomized in a 2 × 2 factorial design to receive 1 of 4 CMV fact sheets. The fact sheets were framed as either what could be gained or be lost by following (or not) the recommendations and the likelihood of being affected by CMV (i.e., small chance or one of the most common infections in infants). The questionnaire measured CMV knowledge, participation in CMV risk or prevention behaviors, perceived severity of and susceptibly to CMV, and the perceived control over and the efficacy of recommended prevention behaviors. The dependent variable, intention to modify behavior, was an index score that ranged from 0 to 16 with higher values indicating greater intention. Linear regression was used to evaluate the association between all independent variables and overall behavioral intention. Results The sample included 840 women; 15.5% were familiar with CMV. Behavioral intention was high (M = 10.43; SD = 5.13) but did not differ across the message frames (p = 0.23). Overall, behavioral intention was predicted by CMV knowledge, message credibility, perceived severity of CMV, perceived behavioral control and response efficacy. Significant interactions with gain vs. loss frame were observed for perceived behavioral control (p = 0.03) and response efficacy (p = .003). Conclusions Framing CMV messages by what women stand to gain or lose interacts with perceived behavioral control and response efficacy to influence behavioral intention. Perceived behavioral control and response efficacy were most predictive of behavioral intention overall regardless of frame. Messaging that focuses on these two variables, particularly for avoiding kissing a child on the lips and sharing food, cups and utensils, may result in greater gains in intention to participate in CMV prevention behaviors

Do functional or morphological classifications explain stream phytobenthic community assemblages?

There are many useful metrics currently available to explain ecological variation within phytobenthic communities. However, most metrics are challenging to use (requiring specialist taxonomic skills and knowledge), limiting their widespread applicability. Furthermore, because most metrics have been developed to represent ecological responses to single pressures, no single metric in isolation can effectively describe complex changes in the state of communities responding to multiple environmental pressures. Understanding of such changes therefore requires the use of multiple metrics to account for the impacts of many environmental pressures. This study explores the potential of functional and morphological classifications to explain phytobenthic community responses to differences in nutrient concentration, current velocity, simulated high flow disturbances and invertebrate grazers. Three previously used phytobenthic classifications and a new metric developed from a phytoplankton classification were tested using two datasets from streams in the north west of England in 2010. A combination of the newly applied morphological classification (using maximum linear dimension, surface area and volume) and a functional classification (using life-forms) showed great potential for aiding the understanding of phytobenthic community responses to environmental pressures. Furthermore, it is suggested that, with further testing, this new classification, which requires less specialist knowledge, could be widely implemented and would potentially give great insight into the ecology of the entire phytobenthic community

Attitudes of U.S. Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Women toward Congenital CMV Prevention Behaviors: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common intrauterine infection. The only way to protect against congenital CMV infection is to practice CMV prevention behaviors. CMV seroprevalence rates are high in Hispanic women. It is unknown whether communication strategies should differ by ethnicity. The purpose of this study was to understand differences between U.S. Hispanic and non-Hispanic women’s attitudes toward CMV prevention behaviors and examine the relationship between perceived subjective norms and these attitudes. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using an online panel. Participants were U.S. women of childbearing age. The dependent variable was attitude toward practicing CMV prevention behaviors, specifically avoiding sharing cups, food, and utensils with a child and not kissing a child on the lips. Results: Among 818 women (50% Hispanic), 16.8% of Hispanic women and 9.7% of non-Hispanic women (p = 0.002) reported familiarity with CMV. Attitudes toward CMV prevention through avoiding sharing behaviors (M Hispanic  = 5.55 vs. M non-Hispanic = 5.20; p = 0.002) and not kissing a child on the lips (M Hispanic  = 4.80 vs. M non-Hispanic  = 4.21; p = 0.001) were positive for both ethnicities, but higher for Hispanic women. Hispanic women (M = 5.11) reported higher perceived behavioral control for avoiding kissing a child on the lips than non-Hispanic women (M = 4.63; p = 0.001). Hispanic women who were U.S. born or spoke English primarily more frequently kissed a child on the lips or engaged in sharing behaviors. Additionally, those who spoke Spanish mostly held more positive attitudes toward not kissing on the lips. Significant predictors for more positive attitudes toward CMV prevention behaviors were associated with perceived subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and pre-survey participation in risk behaviors. Conclusions: Hispanic women have more positive attitudes toward CMV prevention behaviors than non-Hispanic women, however in regression models other factors are more important predictors of positive attitudes than ethnicity. In developing strategies to encourage women to practice CMV prevention behaviors, a focus on further understanding and increasing subjective norms and perceived control over those behaviors may be warranted