Training Primary Healthcare Professionals for Expanded Newborn Screening with Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Challenges for Community Genetics in Brazil

TL;DR

This study explores training healthcare workers in Brazil to expand newborn screening using tandem mass spectrometry, highlighting challenges and successes in the process.

Contribution

The study provides insights into the practical challenges and effectiveness of training primary healthcare professionals for expanded newborn screening in Brazil.

Findings

97.1% of Basic Health Units (BHUs) reported satisfaction with the pilot project.

40.1% of BHUs raised questions about inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs).

13.1% of BHUs reported complaints about the research card's texture and drying issues.

Abstract

In Brazil, dried blood spots (DBSs) for newborn screening (NBS) should be collected between the 3rd and 5th days of life at local Basic Health Units (BHUs). This study reports the experience of face-to-face training at BHUs in southern Brazil during a pilot study for tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) inclusion in the NBS program. The pilot project involved screening for 22 inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs). The professionals at the BHUs were instructed to carry out the following: (a) explain the study to parents or guardians; (b) collect additional DBS samples on a different collection card (research card); and (c) deliver results to families. In-person visits were conducted at all 137 BHUs. These visits included an overview of the pilot project and distribution of educational materials, including a list of the 22 IEMs and informational leaflets on MS/MS-based NBS. Among the 486 healthcare professionals who participated, 91.2% were women. Overall, 97.1% of the BHUs reported being satisfied with the project. Questions regarding IEMs were raised in 40.1% of BHUs, and 13.1% reported complaints about the research card due to its lighter texture and drying difficulty. Training primary healthcare professionals in IEMs remains an urgent priority in Brazil, particularly in the context of expanded NBS using MS/MS, since they are the frontline professionals in the NBS program.

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