Consumer Acceptability Study for Antenatal Down's Syndrome Screening
Consumer Acceptability Study for Antenatal Down's Syndrome Screening
Client: Ministry of Health
The National Screening Unit (NSU) was undertaking a comprehensive policy process to assess the various options for antenatal screening for Down's syndrome and to determine whether a national screening programme for antenatal Down's syndrome screening should be established in New Zealand. Following a small pilot, we conducted a series of 10 focus groups, including Māori, Pacific Island and 'other' female participants, in both rural and urban areas, to determine the acceptability of methods of screening for Down's Syndrome. The discussions covered awareness of Down's syndrome, awareness of the screening options, the perceived benefits and risks of screening, the conditions and/or circumstances in which each screening option is/is not considered acceptable, and barriers and enablers to acceptability.