Health Professionals are the Preferred Source of Information on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy for Australian Women: A National Survey

Main Article Content

Dr Tracey W Tsang
Dr Elizabeth Peadon
Prof Carol Bower
Heather D'Antoine
Janet Payne
Elizabeth Elliott

Abstract

Background and Objective
Prenatal alcohol exposure is a common preventable cause of intellectual disability, but alcohol use
remains high during pregnancy. We identified where Australian women obtained information about alcohol during pregnancy, their preferred sources of information, and their perceptions of the role of health professionals in providing information.



Materials and Methods
In 2006, 1103 nonpregnant Australian women of childbearing age (18–45 years) were interviewed using computer-assisted telephone interview. Information about their actual and preferred sources of information about consuming alcohol during pregnancy and the perceived role of health professionals in pregnancy education were obtained.
Results
Most (99%) of the Australian women interviewed said information about the effects of consuming alcohol during pregnancy should be readily available, but only half had sighted any such information. Brochures were the most-sighted source (16%), followed by media programs/articles (13%). Women preferred health professionals (52%) as the best source of information, followed by television advertisements (12%). Health professional platforms (e.g., antenatal classes) were preferred by women who had previously given birth, while the Internet was preferred by nulliparous and Australian-born women. Message recall was associated with knowledge that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, growth problems, and lifelong disabilities in a child (P < 0.05). Women agreed that health professionals should ask pregnant women about alcohol, advise how much alcohol consumption is safe during pregnancy, and advise pregnant women or those planning pregnancy to give up alcohol consumption.

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Article Details

How to Cite
Tsang, T., Peadon, E., Bower, C., D’Antoine, H., Payne, J., & Elliott, E. (2020). Health Professionals are the Preferred Source of Information on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy for Australian Women: A National Survey. Journal of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, 3(1), e1-e11. https://doi.org/10.22374/jfasrp.v3i1.8
Section
Articles
Author Biographies

Dr Tracey W Tsang, The University of Sydney Children’s Hospital Westmead Clinical School,

The University of Sydney Children’s Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Westmead, NSW, Australia

Dr Elizabeth Peadon, The University of Sydney Children’s Hospital Westmead Clinical School


Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Children’s Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Westmead, NSW, Australia

Prof Carol Bower, Telethon Kids Institute, West Perth, WA, Australia

Telethon Kids Institute, West Perth, WA, Australia

Heather D'Antoine, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, Australia

Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, Australia

Janet Payne, Telethon Kids Institute, West Perth, WA, Australia

Telethon Kids Institute, West Perth, WA, Australia

Elizabeth Elliott, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Children’s Hospital


Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney Children’s Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Westmead, NSW, Australia

Kids Research, Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, Westmead, NSW, Australia

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