Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, including details on pregnancy, birth defects, causes, symptoms, treatment. | ||||||||
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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prevention: an exploratory study of women's use of, attitudes toward, and knowledge about alcohol.Walker DS, Fisher CS, Sherman A, Wybrecht B, Kyndely K College of Nursing, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. dswalker@wayne.edu PURPOSE: The incidence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is increasing, even though it is 100% preventable. This study examined use of, knowledge about, and attitudes toward alcohol of women requesting emergency contraception (EC) and/or a pregnancy test, and evaluated whether a brief intervention would be effective in educating them about the risks of FASD. DATA SOURCES: Fifty women from two outpatient clinics participated. Information was collected on demographic and personal health habits, alcohol use, and knowledge of and attitudes toward alcohol. As a brief intervention to increase knowledge about FASD, participants read a short pamphlet about the risks of alcohol exposure in pregnancy and then completed a post-test questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviations, and skewness, were calculated for all variables. Pearson correlations were computed to assess relationships between demographic/lifestyle variables and attitudes toward and knowledge about alcohol. Paired t-tests were used to analyze the relationship between pretest and post-test knowledge scores. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of participants were single (76%), college educated (94%), and received EC at the clinic visit (60%). The average age was 24 years. Slightly over half (52%) reported drinking beer at least once a week, with one to six cans on occasion. Younger women expressed more tolerant attitudes toward alcohol use (p= .02) and drank significantly more beer on occasion (p= .015). Women who reported drinking alcohol when they last had sex were significantly (p= .017) less tolerant in their attitudes toward alcohol use. The intervention used in this study was effective in communicating knowledge about FASD to this population (p < .0001). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These findings suggest that young women may be engaging in behaviors that could put potential offspring at risk for exposure to alcohol. Clinicians are advised to take a thorough history to determine alcohol use in all women of childbearing age and to provide information regarding FASD prevention. Published 27 April 2005 in J Am Acad Nurse Pract, 17(5): 187-93.
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