TY - JOUR
T1 - Youth beliefs and knowledge about the risks of drinking while pregnant
AU - Mackinnon, David
AU - Williams-Avery, R. M.
AU - Pentz, M. A.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2007 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - BECAUSE NO PUBLISHED studies of young persons' knowledge and awareness of fetal alcohol syndrome are available, the awareness and beliefs about drinking while pregnant in several large samples of young persons ages 13-20 are examined. Approximately 81 percent of the entire sample that completed questionnaires in school surveys believe that drinking alcohol while pregnant car definitely harm the fetus, although males and younger persons are less likely to believe in this risk. A substantial proportion of respondents believe that occasional heavy use is not harmful and suggest a safe level of drinking that is higher than the Surgeon General's abstinence recommendations. Only 72 percent have heard of fetal alcohol syndrome, and more than one third incorrectly report that it describes a baby born addicted to alcohol, that the syndrome can be inherited, and that it can be cured. As in prior studies of adults, beliefs about drinking while pregnant are inconsistent with the Surgeon General's recommendations. Implications for increasing the awareness of the risk of drinking while pregnant are discussed.
AB - BECAUSE NO PUBLISHED studies of young persons' knowledge and awareness of fetal alcohol syndrome are available, the awareness and beliefs about drinking while pregnant in several large samples of young persons ages 13-20 are examined. Approximately 81 percent of the entire sample that completed questionnaires in school surveys believe that drinking alcohol while pregnant car definitely harm the fetus, although males and younger persons are less likely to believe in this risk. A substantial proportion of respondents believe that occasional heavy use is not harmful and suggest a safe level of drinking that is higher than the Surgeon General's abstinence recommendations. Only 72 percent have heard of fetal alcohol syndrome, and more than one third incorrectly report that it describes a baby born addicted to alcohol, that the syndrome can be inherited, and that it can be cured. As in prior studies of adults, beliefs about drinking while pregnant are inconsistent with the Surgeon General's recommendations. Implications for increasing the awareness of the risk of drinking while pregnant are discussed.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 8570831
AN - SCOPUS:0029591781
VL - 110
SP - 754
EP - 763
JO - Public Health Reports
JF - Public Health Reports
SN - 0033-3549
IS - 6
ER -