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Public perception of birth defects terminology
Cara T Mai1, Emily E Petersen, Assia Miller
1National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. cwm7@cdc.gov
Birth Defects Research. Part A, Clinical and Molecular Teratology
|September 28, 2012
Summary
The term "birth defects" is preferred by most people, but those affected by them find it less positive. Ongoing discussion is needed for appropriate terminology.
Area of Science:
- Medical Terminology
- Public Health Research
- Sociolinguistics
Background:
- The phrase "birth defect" is commonly used but may carry negative connotations.
- Concerns exist regarding the impact of the word "defect" on public perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate public perceptions of terminology used for birth defects.
- To identify preferred and offensive terms related to birth defects.
Main Methods:
- A U.S. nationally representative HealthStyles survey (2007) with four questions on birth defect terminology.
- Analysis of term preferences and offensiveness based on condition status, demographics, and socioeconomic factors.
- Statistical analysis using chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression.
Main Results:
- "Birth defects" was the most preferred term (35.4%), followed by "children with special needs" (21.9%).
- Individuals affected by birth defects showed different term preferences compared to unaffected respondents.
- Condition status, race/ethnicity, gender, income, and education significantly predicted term selection.
Conclusions:
- "Birth defect" remains the most preferred term, despite negative associations for some.
- Individuals with personal or family experience with birth defects responded less favorably to the term.
- Further dialogue is essential to establish accepted and appropriate terminology for birth defects.
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