Punishing pregnant drug users: enhancing the flight from care.
One hundred forty-two low income women were interviewed postpartum to determine their attitudes regarding the potential effects of a punitive law on the behavior of substance-using pregnant women. The convenience sample was primarily black (85.2%) and single (81%) and 14.8% admitted use of illicit drugs during pregnancy. A goodness-of-fit chi-square analysis revealed that subjects believed a punitive law would be a significant deterrent to substance-using gravida seeking prenatal care, drug testing or drug treatment (P < 0.01). Comments indicated that substance-using pregnant women would 'go underground' to avoid detection and treatment for fear of incarceration and loss of their children.
Poland
M L
ML
Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201.
Dombrowski
M P
MP
Ager
J W
JW
Sokol
R J
RJ
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs