ALCOHOL USE DURING PREGNANCY: A KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN NUTRITION PROGRAM

Abstract

This study attempted to assess the knowledge of women enrolled in the Women, Infants and Children (W.I.C.) Nutrition Program on alcohol use during pregnancy. Data were analyzed to assess the knowledge of the sample. Results among subgroups according to age, race, marital status, and educational levels were compared. Subjects included 200 volunteers from the Frederick and Washington County Maryland W.I.C. Nutrition Programs. A 12 item self-administered questionnaire pertaining to alcohol use during pregnancy was completed by each subject. After analyzing these data, the researcher noted the subjects were predominantly between the ages of 20 and 35 years, White, married, and high school educated. Frequencies, crosstabulations, and one way analysis of variances were used to analyze these data. The mean test score for the sample was 8.77 or 73% correct answers on the test instrument. Most subjects felt that alcohol should not be consumed during pregnancy and that it could harm the fetus. They also knew that beer, wine and liquor could all be potentially harmful to the fetus. The majority of the subjects were not aware of the specific ways that alcohol could harm the fetus. Most subjects also thought a "safe" level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy had been established. A significant relationship (p < .05) was found between educational level and responses to two items on the test instrument. As educational level increased, more subjects were aware of characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. From among the educational level subgroups, the "high school" group was most aware that it is not safe to drink alcohol during the last trimester of pregnancy. Race was also found to have an influence on responses. Black subjects more frequently answered incorrectly about characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A one way analysis of variance indicated that educational level had a significant influence (p < .05) on the mean test scores of the sample. As educational level increased, the mean test scores also increased. Results of this study suggest that most women enrolled in W.I.C. Nutrition Programs do realize that alcohol may harm the fetus, but are unaware of the specific damages which may occur. Subjects who received more formal education may have more knowledge about alcohol use during pregnancy. There may be a need for nutritionists working with W.I.C. Nutrition Programs to improve education about the specific potential effects of alcohol on the fetus. This effort may increase the knowledge of the women and could encourage them to abstain from using alcohol during pregnancy. This study might serve as preliminary research for a larger scale study in this area.