Minnesota 2012 Folic Acid Survey

Folic Acid Surveillance Surveys
Minnesota (Updated 10/2012) 
 

Criteria Comments
Title of the state or local Folic Acid Survey Minnesota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
Geographic area covered Minnesota
Contact information at BDR  
Name of person:
Cheryl Barber (MN PRAMS Coordinator)
Agency:
Minnesota Department of Health
State:
Minnesota
Email address:
cheryl.barber@state.mn.us
Phone:
651-201-3742
Survey sample size:
Around 2500/year. About 500 are US-born African Americans, 500 American Indian mothers, and 1500 from the balance of the population.
General description of survey or dataset (target population, frequency of administration, years covered, data collection methods, reason for data collection) MN PRAMS targets women who have recently had a live birth in Minnesota and includes oversampling of US-born African Americans and American Indians.  MN PRAMS draws a sample from birth certificates every month of women ~ 2 months after delivery.  MN PRAMS begain with May 2002 births and is ongoing.  The PRAMS survey is distributed each month by mail; a telephone interview is attempted for non-responders. 

PRAMS is part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiative to reduce infant mortality and low birth weight. Minnesota PRAMS gathers state-specific information that is used to address public health issues and to develop effective programs and policies that will improve the health of mothers and babies in Minnesota.
Cost of survey About $200,000/year including staff and materials.
Questions included in the survey (most current, changes over time, state specific changes) 2002-2003 (PRAMS Phase 4 Core question)
3. In the month before you got pregnant with your new baby, how many times a
week did you take a multivitamin (a pill that contains many different vitamins
and minerals)?
I didn’t take a multivitamin at all
1 to 3 times a week
4 to 6 times a week
Every day of the week

2004-2008 (PRAMS Phase 5 Core question)
3. During the month before you got pregnant with your new baby, how many times a week did you take a multivitamin or a prenatal vitamin? These are pills that contain many different vitamins and minerals.

I didn’t take a multivitamin or a prenatal vitamin at all
1 to 3 times a week
4 to 6 times a week
Every day of the week

2009ff (PRAMS Phase 6 and Phase 7 Core question) 
NOTE: This question specifically includes a folic acid vitamin.

3. During the month before you got pregnant with your new baby, how many times a week did you take a multivitamin, a prenatal vitamin, or a folic acid vitamin?
I didn’t take a multivitamin, prenatal vitamin, or folic acid vitamin at all
1 to 3 times a week
4 to 6 times a week
Every day of the week
Uses of data Birth Defect Monitoring & Analysis Unit uses PRAMS results for prevention planning and developing focus areas for the Preconception Health in Minnesota Grant Program.  PRAMS results are used for the Title V MCH Needs Assessment, to inform the MCH Advisory Task Force, and by specific programs such as Family Planning and Positive Alternatives.
Results/Summary (may including links to reports or published articles) Among all MInnesota women aged 18-44 who had a live birth from 2004-2008, 34.8% (95%CI: 33.3-36.2) reported taking a multivitamin, prenatal vitamin or folic acid vitamin every day of the week prior to pregnancy.  Daily vitamin/folic acid supplementation was lowest for the following groups:

18-24 year olds:  15.7% (95%CI: 13.6-18.0)

Non-Hispanic Black: 22.8% (95%CI: 19.0-27.1)

Non-Hispanic American Indian: 13.2% (95%CI: 8.5-19.9)

Hispanic: 19.9% (95%CI: 14.7-26.4)

Unmarried: 15.3% (95%CI: 13.4-17.4)

Income less than 200% FPL: 17.3% (95%CI: 15.3-19.5)

Less than 12 years education: 16.7% (95%CI: 12.9-21.5)

12 years of education: 23.2% (95%CI: 20.7-25.9)

No health plan coverage: 14.5% (95%CI: 12.0-17.4)

Page 52 of Preconception Health Minnesota 2012 Data Book: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/mch/preconception/documents/preconceptiondatabook.pdf
Web site address (if available) http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/prams/
Comments (limitations, lessons learned) PRAMS estimates of folic acid supplementation are representative of women who have had a recent live birth.  We do not have a state estimate for the entire population of women of childbearing age in MN.  (2006 MN BRFSS was the last year to capture a state estimate).