Understanding Pregnant Women’s Risk Decision-Making to Develop Health Communication Resources
Background
Pregnant women and pregnancy planners are high information seeking when it comes to their health and health of their babies. CDC understands that their health communication needs are unique and wants to provide these audiences with materials and messages best tailored to their needs to promote improved maternal and child outcomes. Through funding from a 5-year CDC Cooperative Agreement*, Karna supported the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders by:
- Conducting mixed methods research
- Coordinating communications campaign activities for various awareness months, including media buys and a radio media tour
- Creating patient and provider materials on priority health topics
- Convening a workgroup for regular stakeholder engagement and feedback
At-A-Glance
Strategies
What we’ve done
- Conducted a literature review to inform the development of tools, messaging, and materials
- Planned and implemented mixed methods formative research, including focus groups and surveys
- Recruited and convened a strategy work group (SWG) of co-branding partners for collaboration and dissemination
- Facilitated recurring meetings with SWG, including one-on-one discussions with members to assess collaboration opportunities with participating organizations
- Recruited and coordinated with radio stations to participate in a radio media tour including interviews with CDC experts in English and Spanish to promote folic acid campaign messaging and materials
- Facilitated two media buys on Facebook, Spotify, and Hulu including English and Spanish video and audio ads to promote folic acid campaign messaging and materials
What we’re doing
- Creating patient and provider resources on folic acid, medication use, chronic conditions, and the importance of healthy weight for a healthy pregnancy Gathering feedback from SWG on patient and provider materials, including graphic concepts, messaging, and priority topics
- Strategizing with SWG members on potential dissemination opportunities for patient and provider materials
Capabilities
What we’ve done
What we’re doing
Resource Development: Creating tools and resources for providers, pregnant women, those planning pregnancies, and new parents based on formative research
Communication Products
CDC audio ad launched on Spotify for Hispanic Heritage Month media buy
CDC graphic launched on Spotify for Birth Defects Awareness Month media buy
*This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling approximately $2.7 million over 2 years using tailored approaches to establish, enhance, and sustain partnerships that address the health of pregnant and postpartum women, with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.