Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
To re-assess obstetrician–gynecologists' knowledge of neonatal encephalopathy and cerebral palsy after publication of the ACOG/AAP Task Force report.
STUDY DESIGN:
A questionnaire investigating knowledge of neonatal encephalopathy and cerebral palsy was mailed to 1060 members of ACOG, 337 of whom participated in a similar study in 2001.
RESULTS:
There was a strong association between familiarity with ACOG documentation and knowledge of neonatal encephalopathy (NE) and cerebral palsy (CP) (p<0.001). As with obstetricians surveyed in 2001, knowledge gaps remain. Performance was better on practices questions than knowledge questions. About one-third (34.2%) of the physicians said their knowledge of neonatal encephalopathy was poor or deficient; the majority (76%) rated their residency training as inadequate to marginal.
CONCLUSION:
The results indicate better knowledge of neonatal encephalopathy and cerebral palsy among physicians more familiar with the Task Force report. There is a clear need for emphasis on these topics during training and continuing medical education.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by a grant from the HRSA-MCHB and the CDC.
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Morgan, M., Hankins, G., Zinberg, S. et al. Neonatal Encephalopathy and Cerebral Palsy Revisited: The Current State of Knowledge and the Impact of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Task Force Report. J Perinatol 25, 519–525 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211339
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211339
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