ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a group of developmental disabilities that may result from the mother's consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. The present study examined the effects of health literacy and stigma on the public health agenda for preventing FASD. METHODS: Three hundred and forty-one participants were sampled to ascertain levels of endorsement of the public health priorities of FASD, and FASD health literacy. Stigma towards women who consume alcohol during pregnancy, and towards biological mothers of children with FASD were operationalized using ratings of difference and disdain. RESULTS: Public stigma towards women who consume alcohol during pregnancy was greater than stigma towards biological mothers of children with FASD. Research participants with higher FASD literacy were more likely to endorse the prevention priorities of FASD, but also more likely to endorse greater stigma towards biological mothers of children with FASD. Interestingly, those who endorsed greater stigma supported the public health priorities of FASD more strongly. Female research participants more strongly supported the prevention priorities of FASD than male participants. Male participants were more likely to endorse stigma than female participants. CONCLUSIONS: Stigma experienced by biological mothers of children with FASD generalizes to women who consume alcohol while pregnant. Some results were contrary to expectations: stigma was positively associated with health literacy and endorsement of prevention priorities of FASD. Reasons for these findings are speculated and should be tested in future research.
Subject(s)
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Literacy , Public Health , Social Stigma , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mothers , Pregnancy , Research DesignABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Stigma affects not only the person with a stigmatizing condition such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), but also their family members. This study examined whether there are stigmatizing attitudes about biological mothers of children with FASD in a crowdsourced sample. METHODS: Three hundred and eighty-nine participants were asked to rate levels of difference, disdain, and responsibility on 4 conditions: serious mental illness (MI), substance use disorder (SUD), jail experience, and FASD. A budget allocation task was administered as a proxy of discrimination. Prior experience with each of the 4 conditions was noted to assess familiarity. RESULTS: Research participants viewed mothers of children with FASD as more different, disdained, and responsible than women with serious MI, SUD, and jail experience. Budget allocation toward FASD service programs was significantly lower than that toward all other human service programs. Familiarity with the 3 comparison conditions moderated most of the stigma ratings, but this effect was not seen in the FASD condition. CONCLUSIONS: Results supported the notion that mothers of children with FASD are highly stigmatized for their past behavior. The data also suggested that the public might discriminate against this population. Stigma reduction interventions should focus on contact-based strategies, rather than education-based strategies.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/psychology , Mothers/psychology , Public Opinion , Social Stigma , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Female , Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/epidemiology , Humans , Middle Aged , PregnancyABSTRACT
This article describes a creative maternal and infant home visiting program for first-time parents. Two-year outcomes indicate the program improved parents' infant safety knowledge, positively affected the mother's decision to breastfeed, and promoted infant primary care visits in a cost-effective way.
Subject(s)
Community Health Nursing/organization & administration , Home Care Services/organization & administration , House Calls , Maternal-Child Nursing/organization & administration , Adolescent , Adult , Breast Feeding , California , Humans , Medically Underserved Area , Models, Nursing , Mothers/education , Mothers/psychology , Nursing Evaluation Research , Organizational Objectives , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Program Evaluation , Prospective Studies , Referral and ConsultationABSTRACT
To identify adolescent hepatitis B coverage levels, a survey was conducted of seventh grade parents in San Diego County, California, using a random digit-dial telephone survey. A written survey was fielded also that was distributed at selected schools. Results were validated using data from a mandated report from all schools. Both survey methods overestimated the proportion completing the hepatitis B series by about 10%. Parents accurately reported immunization shot dates from the child's parent-held immunization shot record on the telephone and written surveys. The written survey, in addition to having a somewhat lower cost, may be useful when focusing on a localized area, whereas the telephone survey permits a more representative sample of a larger county-wide population.
