The Nova Scotia FASD Intergovernmental Exchange Group has released an 11-minute video called “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): A Nova Scotia Perspective” which can be viewed on the Department of Health’s website or on YouTube. The video is accompanied by a pamphlet to introduce the video and guide follow-up discussion.
The video includes interviews with NAT members, Debbie Smith from the South Shore Family Resource Association and Nancy Poole, Prevention team lead for the Canada FASD Research Network.
The video discusses alcohol marketing targeted at young women and rates of alcohol consumption in the population, some of the issues that individuals with FASD face, how to build supportive programs and services, and the importance of intergovernment collaboration.
With respect to prevention, the video comments: “FASD prevention is complex and there are many factors contributing to why pregnancy women may drink such as poverty, past trauma, and family violence. Prevention efforts must address these root causes.” Nancy Poole also comments:”In the past, it was often though that you prevent FAS by thinking about babies. And, actually, it’s women who have to change in order to prevent FAS. So we pulled the lens around the mother-child unit.”
At the 5th International Conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Vancouver, BC in February 2013, Donna Malone from the Public Agency of Canada – Atlantic Region described a range of FASD prevention activities occurring in Nova Scotia and the Atlantic provinces, including:
- A recent research report called “Exploring Nova Scotia Women’s Experiences of Alcohol Use, Counseling and Support in Pregnancy” by a research team at the IWK Health Centre
- A research study called “Women’s Lives and Women’s Health: A Critical Part of FASD Prevention” which uses women’s stories to explore ways of improving treatment and services
- The development of an alcohol strategy in Nova Scotia “Changing the culture of alcohol use in Nova Scotia” which can be downloaded here.
View the conference video clip here.
Girls, Women, Alcohol, and Pregnancy 