Evaluation of newborn screening refusal through family physicians' communication experiences with parents rejecting the screening: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Newborn screening refusal has increased in recent years both in Türkiye and worldwide. The aim of this study is to examine the experiences of family physicians who communicate with parents rejecting newborn screening, in order to identify the underlying reasons for refusal and the communication approaches used in this process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted as a qualitative and descriptive research. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview form consisting of six questions determining the participants' socio-demographic characteristics and five open-ended questions aimed at exploring in depth the communication experiences of family physicians with parents who refused newborn screening. The interviews were carried out using an in-depth analysis technique, and the obtained data were analyzed under themes, sub-themes, and categories. RESULTS: A total of 16 family physicians participated in the study, including 10 women (62,5%) and 6 men (37,5%). The mean age of the participants was 38.56 ± 10.42 standard deviation years. The data obtained in this study were grouped under two main themes: "screening refusal" and "coping with screening refusal". These themes were further supported by four sub-themes: "reasons for screening refusal," "communication approaches toward screening refusal," "factors influencing the coping process," and "recommendations for preventing screening refusal". CONCLUSION: It was observed that the refusal of newborn screening is closely related to lack of knowledge, misconceptions, and insufficient communication. The role of primary healthcare services and family physicians in informing and guiding parents is of critical importance for the success of newborn screening programs. We believe that effective, clear, and trust-based communication approaches can enhance parents' ability to make informed decisions and increase the acceptance of screening programs. Keywords: Communication, family medicine, newborn screening, screening refusal, qualitative study