Pain points in parents' interactions with newborn screening systems: a qualitative study

This study aims to explore and elucidate parents' experience of newborn screening [NBS], with the overarching goal of identifying desiderata for the development of informatics-based educational and health management resources.

We conducted four focus groups and four one-on-one qualitative interviews with a total of 35 participants between March and September 2020. Participants were grouped into three types: parents who had received true positive newborn screening results; parents who had received false positive results; and soon-to-be parents who had no direct experience of the screening process. Interview data were subjected to analysis using an inductive, constant comparison approach.

Results are divided into five sections: (1) experiences related to the process of receiving NBS results and prior knowledge of the NBS program; (2) approaches to the management of a child's medical data; (3) sources of additional informational and emotional support; (4) barriers faced by parents navigating the health system; and (5) recommendations and suggestions for new parents experiencing the NBS process.

Our analysis revealed a wide range of experiences of, and attitudes towards the newborn screening program and the wider newborn screening system. While parents' view of the screening process was - on the whole - positive, some participants reported experiencing substantial frustration, particularly related to how results are initially communicated and difficulties in accessing reliable, timely information. This frustration with current information management and education resources indicates a role for informatics-based approaches in addressing parents' information needs.