title: Do attitudes and knowledge predict at-risk drinking among Russian women?
abstract: Drinking patterns among Russian women indicate substantial risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies. Data about women's knowledge and attitudes related to alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the extent to which women's knowledge and attitudes affect their alcohol use remain limited.
  
  
  
  To describe Russian women's knowledge and attitudes and assess whether women's knowledge and attitudes were associated with their risky drinking.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional survey was administered to women of childbearing age (n = 648). Participants were recruited at women's health clinics and asked about their alcohol consumption, pregnancy status, attitudes, and knowledge about effects of alcohol and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
  
  
  
  40% of the women surveyed believed or were uncertain whether alcohol consumption during pregnancy was acceptable. Although 34% had heard of FAS, only 8% possessed accurate knowledge. Correct knowledge was associated with decreased alcohol consumption among pregnant women, but there was no association between knowledge and risky drinking in nonpregnant women, including those who were at risk for an unplanned pregnancy or were trying to conceive. However attitudes were strongly associated with risky drinking by nonpregnant women across levels of knowledge about FAS and any alcohol use by pregnant women.
  
  
  
  Russian women had limited knowledge and several misconceptions about the effects of alcohol on the fetus, and risky alcohol consumption was strongly associated with women's attitudes and knowledge. The study provides strong evidence to support continuing public health education about effects of alcohol use during pregnancy. Correcting specific misconceptions and targeting the preconceptional period in health communications are necessary to reduce at-risk drinking and the risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: a The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center , Oklahoma City , OK , USA.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Balachova
authors.affiliation: a The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center , Oklahoma City , OK , USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bard
authors.affiliation: a The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center , Oklahoma City , OK , USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonner
authors.affiliation: a The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center , Oklahoma City , OK , USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chaffin
authors.affiliation: b St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isurina
authors.affiliation: b St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tsvetkova
authors.affiliation: c Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University , Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Volkova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012426:Russia; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; at-risk drinking; attitudes; fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; knowledge; women