Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prevention: an exploratory study of women's use of, attitudes toward, and knowledge about alcohol.
OBJECTIVE
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.


METHODS
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).


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Walker
Deborah S
DS
College of Nursing, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. dswalker@wayne.edu
Fisher
Cynthia S Darling
CS
Sherman
Anita
A
Wybrecht
Barbara
B
Kyndely
Kathleen
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011258:Pregnancy Tests; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology
D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital