Papers by Beth Potter
Journal of Human Lactation, Jan 1, 2001
This two-part field study compared researchers' recorded observations to mothers'... more This two-part field study compared researchers' recorded observations to mothers' perceptions of attention they received while publicly breastfeeding. In part 1, four breastfeeding and four bottle-feeding mothers each made eight restaurant visits. On average, there were more neutral looks from customers (P = .01) during breastfeeding visits, but no differences in the amount of overtly negative or positive attention given during breastfeeding versus bottle feeding. In part 2, four breastfeeding mothers made a total of 24 visits to shopping malls. There were more neutral looks given while mothers were breastfeeding and more smiles and comments while they were not feeding, but no difference in total amount of attention received. Breastfeeding mothers acknowledged they had anticipated some undesirable attention but instead received little attention. Nevertheless, they felt "vulnerable" nursing in public. Certain proactive behaviors and personal attributes as well as support from other women enabled them to breastfeed successfully in public.
Introduction: Empirical studies of attitudes toward consent practices for newborn screening indic... more Introduction: Empirical studies of attitudes toward consent practices for newborn screening indicate varied perspectives, depending on jurisdiction. An assumption within the literature is that terminology such as ‘informed consent’ is consistently interpreted by all stakeholders, and that as a result the differences in expressed opinions are a result of different attitudes toward consent. Recent studies call into question this assumption, and indicate that at least in some cases attitudes may be dependent on individual meaning, which may differ between respondents. This study examines understandings of consent terminology within two divergent newborn bloodspot screening programs in Canada.
Methods and Analysis: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents whose children had been offered screening (n=28), healthcare professionals (n=19), and policy decision-makers (n=17). The study was undertaken in parallel at within Ontario and Newfoundland & Labrador. These sites vary in terms of both screening program structure and content, which may be presumed to influence experiences. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim prior to analysis. The examination of the transcripts followed a thematic analysis approach, in which textual data are coded and labelled in an inductive manner.
Results: Terms such as informed consent, implied consent, and standard-of-care were found to have different meanings to individuals. Understandings varied in terms of the perceived level and type of information required, whether authorization by the parent was necessary, as well as documentary evidence required. While variation between individuals was found, no consistent differences were identified between the two sites. For policy decision makers, a lack of formal policy may serve to propagate uncertainty and varied meanings.
Discussion: These data indicate that meaning of terms such as ‘informed consent’ may not be universal, and as such attitudes toward different consent approaches cannot be assumed to be based on consistent conceptualisations of terms. Detailed investigations of meaning are required to unpack the relevant elements upon which stakeholder attitudes toward consent approaches are based.
Education and Parental Involvement in Decision-Making About Newborn Screening: Understanding Goals to Clarify Content
A challenge in designing effective education for parents about newborn screening (NBS) has been u... more A challenge in designing effective education for parents about newborn screening (NBS) has been uncertainty about appropriate content. Arguing that the goals of education may be usefully tied to parental decision-making, we sought to: (1) explore how different ways of implementing NBS differ in their approaches to parental engagement in decision-making; (2) map the potential goals of education onto these “implementation models”; and (3) consider the content that may be needed to support these goals. The resulting conceptual framework supports the availability of comprehensive information about NBS for parents, irrespective of the model of implementation. This is largely because we argue that meeting parental expectations and preferences for communication is an important goal regardless of whether or notparents are actively involved in making a decision. Our analysis supports a flexible approach, in which some educational messages are emphasized as important for all parents to understand while others are made available depending on parents’ preferences. We have begun to define the content of NBS education for parents needed to support specific goals. Further research and discussion is important to determine the most appropriate strategies for delivering the tailored approach to education that emerged from our analysis.
Newborn blood spot screening in four countries: stakeholder involvement
Journal of public health …, Jan 1, 2008
While newborn blood spot screening has historically been viewed as a public health success, the p... more While newborn blood spot screening has historically been viewed as a public health success, the potential harms and benefits are more finely balanced for new conditions being considered for program expansion. We highlight complex issues that must be addressed in policy decisions, which in turn requires a consideration of many stakeholder perspectives. Using national policy documents from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada, we describe the participation of stakeholder organizations in the newborn screening policy process, how such organizations have incorporated stakeholder views into their own policy writing, and their recommendations for inclusiveness. Stakeholder participation in newborn screening decision-making is widely acknowledged as important, and many methods have been endorsed - consultation as well as direct or indirect input into policy development. Differences across organizations and jurisdictions raise questions about the most effective approaches for facilitating inclusiveness, suggesting a need for formal evaluative research.
Journal of Nutrition Education, Jan 1, 2000
This study describes trends in infant feeding messages in a Canadian women's magazine, from 1945 ... more This study describes trends in infant feeding messages in a Canadian women's magazine, from 1945 to 1995 (612 issues). Content analysis was used, with one researcher photocopying and coding all relevant items. The sample (n= 1082) included all messages related to infant feeding appearing in the magazine. Messages were coded according to sources (e.g., advertisement, article) and themes. Bandura's Social Cog-nitiveTheory was used to explore their relationship with infant feeding behavior. Data were analyzed using frequencies and averages and presented graphically.The majority (n = 666,62%) of messages were advertisements. There were only 32 infant feeding articles (3%); the remaining 384 items (35%) were portions of articles or editorial and health columns. The total number of messages declined over time. Trends in message themes (favoring breastfeeding, neutral, favoring bottle feeding) and in the number of advertisements were roughly comparable to breastfeeding initiation rates.These media messages may have been influencing behavior or merely reflecting societal values; further analyses of print media nutrition messages can provide insight into these relationships. Dietitians and nutritionists should consider using the popular media as a vehicle for nutrition education.
Health …, Jan 1, 2008
Purpose This study explored whether and how a sample of women made informed choices about prenata... more Purpose This study explored whether and how a sample of women made informed choices about prenatal testing for foetal anomalies; its aim was to provide insights for future health policy and service provision.
The influence of experiential knowledge on prenatal screening and testing decisions
Genetic …, Jan 1, 2008
Minimal research focuses on the process of decision making in the context of prenatal screening a... more Minimal research focuses on the process of decision making in the context of prenatal screening and testing. This paper outlines an important contextual influence on these decisions. Specifically, we propose that experiential knowledge, particularly about pregnancy, screening, and disability, has a significant influence on prenatal screening and testing decisions. Drawing upon 38 semistructured interviews with women, this study explored how women made prenatal screening and testing decisions. Qualitative data analysis revealed two types of experiential knowledge, empathetic and embodied, which played a pivotal role in women's thinking about the value of prenatal tests and whether or not they accepted the offer of screening, testing, or both. We conclude that prenatal genetic counseling could benefit from an exploration of clients' experiential knowledge, both empathetic and embodied forms.
Women's experiences breastfeeding in public places
Journal of Human …, Jan 1, 2001
This two-part field study compared researchers' recorded observations to mothers'... more This two-part field study compared researchers' recorded observations to mothers' perceptions of attention they received while publicly breastfeeding. In part 1, four breastfeeding and four bottle-feeding mothers each made eight restaurant visits. On average, there were more neutral looks from customers (P = .01) during breastfeeding visits, but no differences in the amount of overtly negative or positive attention given during breastfeeding versus bottle feeding. In part 2, four breastfeeding mothers made a total of 24 visits to shopping malls. There were more neutral looks given while mothers were breastfeeding and more smiles and comments while they were not feeding, but no difference in total amount of attention received. Breastfeeding mothers acknowledged they had anticipated some undesirable attention but instead received little attention. Nevertheless, they felt "vulnerable" nursing in public. Certain proactive behaviors and personal attributes as well as support from other women enabled them to breastfeed successfully in public.
BMC Public …, Jan 1, 2005
Background: While research to date has consistently demonstrated that socioeconomic status (SES) ... more Background: While research to date has consistently demonstrated that socioeconomic status (SES) is inversely associated with injury mortality in both children and adults, findings have been less consistent for non-fatal injuries. The literature addressing SES and injury morbidity among adolescents has been particularly inconclusive. To explore potential explanations for these discrepant research findings, this study uniquely compared the relationship across different measures of SES and different causes of injury (recreation versus non-recreation injuries) within a sample of Canadian adolescents.
Does a relationship exist between body weight, concerns about weight, and smoking among adolescents? An integration of the literature with an emphasis on gender
Nicotine & Tobacco …, Jan 1, 2004
It has been speculated that body weight and concern about body weight are important factors in in... more It has been speculated that body weight and concern about body weight are important factors in initiation of tobacco use among adolescents, particularly females. An examination of studies that have explored these relationships can provide important information on possible underlying mechanisms that could be used for prevention interventions. This review summarizes recent studies examining weight concerns and youth smoking, with a focus on gender differences. These studies were integrated with the few studies that have examined the relationship between actual body weight and smoking among adolescents. A total of 55 primary research articles met inclusion criteria for the review. Of these, 19 studies assessed the relationship between body weight and smoking, and 50 studies addressed weight concerns and smoking. Some evidence indicated a positive relationship between smoking and body weight among adolescents, although not all studies found a positive association. In terms of the relationship between weight concerns and adolescent smoking, the amount of evidence supporting a positive association differed depending on the dimension of weight concern considered, with the strongest evidence for dieting behaviors. For dieting behaviors, disordered eating symptoms, and some aspects of general weight concerns, the positive relationship with smoking was more consistent among female adolescents than among male adolescents. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed, and priorities for future research are identified.
Conference Presentations by Beth Potter
Alberta. Secondly, it can be difficult to discern whether a normal follow-up serum TSH has been d... more Alberta. Secondly, it can be difficult to discern whether a normal follow-up serum TSH has been drawn prior to initiation of therapy. The development of follow-up forms will improve outcome data for CH.
High Impact Factor Journals Offer Limited Guidance to Authors Reporting Survey Research
Conclusions: The majority of high-impact-factor journals publish survey research. Most Instructio... more Conclusions: The majority of high-impact-factor journals publish survey research. Most Instructions to Authors for these journals do not offer guidance nor refer to guidelines for reporting survey research.
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Papers by Beth Potter
Methods and Analysis: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents whose children had been offered screening (n=28), healthcare professionals (n=19), and policy decision-makers (n=17). The study was undertaken in parallel at within Ontario and Newfoundland & Labrador. These sites vary in terms of both screening program structure and content, which may be presumed to influence experiences. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim prior to analysis. The examination of the transcripts followed a thematic analysis approach, in which textual data are coded and labelled in an inductive manner.
Results: Terms such as informed consent, implied consent, and standard-of-care were found to have different meanings to individuals. Understandings varied in terms of the perceived level and type of information required, whether authorization by the parent was necessary, as well as documentary evidence required. While variation between individuals was found, no consistent differences were identified between the two sites. For policy decision makers, a lack of formal policy may serve to propagate uncertainty and varied meanings.
Discussion: These data indicate that meaning of terms such as ‘informed consent’ may not be universal, and as such attitudes toward different consent approaches cannot be assumed to be based on consistent conceptualisations of terms. Detailed investigations of meaning are required to unpack the relevant elements upon which stakeholder attitudes toward consent approaches are based.
Conference Presentations by Beth Potter
Methods and Analysis: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents whose children had been offered screening (n=28), healthcare professionals (n=19), and policy decision-makers (n=17). The study was undertaken in parallel at within Ontario and Newfoundland & Labrador. These sites vary in terms of both screening program structure and content, which may be presumed to influence experiences. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim prior to analysis. The examination of the transcripts followed a thematic analysis approach, in which textual data are coded and labelled in an inductive manner.
Results: Terms such as informed consent, implied consent, and standard-of-care were found to have different meanings to individuals. Understandings varied in terms of the perceived level and type of information required, whether authorization by the parent was necessary, as well as documentary evidence required. While variation between individuals was found, no consistent differences were identified between the two sites. For policy decision makers, a lack of formal policy may serve to propagate uncertainty and varied meanings.
Discussion: These data indicate that meaning of terms such as ‘informed consent’ may not be universal, and as such attitudes toward different consent approaches cannot be assumed to be based on consistent conceptualisations of terms. Detailed investigations of meaning are required to unpack the relevant elements upon which stakeholder attitudes toward consent approaches are based.