Accessing Research to Inform our Practice and Policy

Our annual annotated list of research articles on FASD prevention is now available!

As in past years, we searched academic databases for articles about FASD prevention published in English over the past calendar year (in this case between January and December 2020). We organized the articles using the four-level prevention framework, so that those involved in FASD prevention can easily find and consider how to integrate current evidence relevant to their practice and policy work. 

This year, one hundred and three (n =103) articles were included, coming from 19 countries/regions.

• 37 articles explored the prevalence of, and influences and factors associated with, alcohol use during pregnancy. Some factors influencing alcohol use in pregnancy described in these articles included depression, partners’ alcohol use, awareness of alcohol harms, awareness of pregnancy status, adverse childhood experiences, availability of support networks, concurrent tobacco smoking, and density of alcohol establishments.
• 3 articles only focussed on awareness raising (Level 1).
• 33 articles described aspects of brief intervention, education and support with women in childbearing years and their support networks (Level 2). Mixed results are still seen for brief interventions, but for some subgroups of women and dual interventions (alcohol + contraception) benefits were found.
• 12 articles explored specialized, holistic support of pregnant women with alcohol and other health and social problems (Level 3), showing the importance of access to these programs and the need for collaboration in their delivery.
• 7 articles described postpartum treatment and support approaches for new mothers and their children (Level 4), and promising approaches were described that included trauma informed and culturally grounded parenting programs.
• 14 articles addressed overarching issues such as the impact of stigma, ethical issues and needed systemic approaches.

We encourage all those interested in FASD prevention to check out the articles for the area of FASD where they work, and in other areas of interest. We look forward to discussing key articles in the Prevention Network Action Team (pNAT) monthly web meetings as well. 

• We have added for the first time this year, an executive summary (https://bccewh.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FASD-Annotated-Bibliography-2020-Executive-Summary.pdf)
• The full annotated bibliography is downloadable from  https://canfasd.ca/topics/prevention/ or http://bccewh.bc.ca/category/post/maternal-health-and-substance-use/

Just published: 2019 edition of FASD Prevention Annotated Bibliography

Researchers associated with the Prevention Network Action Team (pNAT) of the CanFASD Research Network search the academic literature each year for articles related to prevention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Articles are reviewed for relevancy, identified by topic and country, and the findings briefly summarized. This year’s Annotated Bibliography of Articles Published in 2018 was published in time for the 8th International Conference on FASD in March. A total of 58 articles were identified from 17 countries. The number of articles varies each year based on journal articles published in English about ongoing or new research on FASD prevention research. Countries with highest number of published articles in 2018 were USA (26 articles), Canada (9 articles), the UK and Ireland (6 articles), and Australia and South Africa (5 articles each). 

Findings are organized using a four-level prevention framework used by the pNAT to describe the wide range of work that comprises FASD prevention (see panel at left for more information). This year 15 articles pertained to Influences on women’s drinking;  12 articles pertained to Level 2, discussion of alcohol use with women and their support networks; and, 11 articles pertained to Level 3, specialized and holistic support of pregnant women. Articles pertaining to Level 1 and Prevalence of alcohol use in pregnancy were also well represented. Some articles are assigned to more than one category.

Figure 1: Four Levels of FASD Prevention

The annual literature search is intended to update those involved in FASD prevention in Canada, to inform their practice and policy work with current evidence. The members of the pNAT also have the opportunity to discuss the implications for their work of the findings of selected articles, in monthly web meetings.

Find earlier Annotated Bibliographies below and on the CanFASD Prevention page under “Bibliographies”.

Using e-technology to support maternal-child health

The Hope Project app

With most everyone having a smartphone these days, people are using apps to support their health. There are a few apps directed to pregnant women about their substance use and mental health. Some recent efforts developed together by researchers and health providers show how these apps can be used to offer focused information and support to pregnant women.

A perinatal mental health research project in Alberta, The Hope Project, is exploring how e-technology can be used to support pregnant women with mental health concerns. Dr. Dawn Kingston and her team at the University of Calgary developed an app for screening and treating pregnant women experiencing anxiety and depression. It provides information, support, and help to women in the research study whenever they need it. The project will also look at how this intervention affects post-partum depression and the health of their children.

SmartMom Canada, was developed as part of a study from the University of British Columbia. Through text messaging, Optimal Birth BC provides women in Northern BC with prenatal education endorsed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC). Many of these women live in rural areas and may have limited access to prenatal care. Women who enroll in the study complete a confidential survey and then receive personalized text messages that include pregnancy tips, info on health topics, and available resources in their own community.

SmartMom Canada app

Women outside of these studies may find it challenging to find similar apps. Popular pregnancy apps do not offer much info or ideas for resources for women with mental health or substance use issues. One that has been positively evaluated is Text4baby in the U.S. The sponsors partner with national, state, and private organizations and offer local resource information in some states. Also available to Spanish speakers, an evaluation of the app can be found here.

As well, apps are being targeted to health care providers on improving the care they provide. A preconception care app available to physicians provides them with information from the National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative and makes suggestions for responding to patient questions. Research is being done on using an app to provide motivational interviewing interventions to pregnant women who use substances.

Most apps available on smartphones are directed toward the general population and seek a large user base. Mental health apps and substance use apps that might support prevention, are not designed specifically for women, pregnant or not. And most pregnancy apps focus on fetal growth and “kick counters”, the woman’s weight and blood pressure, and checklists to get ready for a child.

So, while there is an app for everything, they may not an app for everyone. However, healthcare technology is growing at a fast pace, so hopefully we will see more apps in future that can expand FASD prevention efforts.

Related topics:

TEXT4BABY PROGRAM IN THE UNITED STATES: CAN TEXT MESSAGING BE AN EFFECTIVE ALCOHOL BRIEF INTERVENTION? February 2, 2015

HEALTHY PREGNANCY, HEALTHY BABY TEXT MESSAGING SERVICE IN TANZANIA December 17, 2013

Headlines, research and prevention: Do research findings on risks of alcohol use during pregnancy improve prevention efforts?

When you sign up for online alerts regarding new FASD research, a lot of research articles come your way. Some offer hope like the recent article on a possible future treatment for newborns diagnosed with FASD (see Common drugs reverse signs of fetal alcohol syndrome in rats). But most are headlines about newly identified risks associated with alcohol-exposed pregnancies.

For instance, these four recent headlines:

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy could have transgenerational effects

Prenatal exposure to alcohol increases likelihood of addiction later in life

Any alcohol consumption during pregnancy affects craniofacial development

Foetus absorbs mother’s alcohol and nicotine intake in just 2 hours

From a scientific research standpoint, it’s important to fully understand effects of alcohol -exposed pregnancies. But, from a prevention point of view, does it add anything to our efforts to know one more reason drinking alcohol during pregnancy is risky? Does it lessen the stigma these women face? Would one more identified risk be the thing a woman needed to hear in order to stop drinking in her pregnancy or while trying to become pregnant?

Obviously, the full picture of effects is important, and this kind of medical and scientific research should continue. At the same itme, it would be helpful to see more headlines on what has been discovered around prevention – focusing on programs that support the mother child dyad, efforts to reduce stigma, and implementation of trauma-informed and FASD-informed practices and policies.

How about five headlines like these?

Relational treatment programs reduce risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies and FASD

Connection to culture is key to prevention for many women

Changes in alcohol policy contribute to reduction of violence against women and incidence of alcohol-exposed pregnancies

Secure housing contributes to reduction in alcohol-exposed pregnancies

Women who can safely discuss alcohol with their health provider are  more likely to stop risky drinking

This real headline deserves more coverage: “ If we want to save lives, control alcohol. ”

We have lots of information of the risks of alcohol-exposed pregnancies. The work now is about prevention and we will work to bring you those “headlines.”

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For more information on these topics, see these previous posts:

REACHING AND ENGAGING WOMEN: WHAT WORKS AND WHAT’S NEEDED May 15, 2017

THUNDER BAY’S FAMILY HEALTH PROGRAM PUBLISHES RESEARCH REPORT FOR PREVENTING ALCOHOL-EXPOSED PREGNANCY October 4, 2016

THE WORK OF THE NETWORK ACTION TEAM ON FASD PREVENTION FROM A WOMEN’S HEALTH DETERMINANTS PERSPECTIVE (CANFASD RESEARCH NETWORK) April 11, 2016

FASD ISSUE PAPERS FROM THE CANADA FASD RESEARCH NETWORK PROVIDE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF RECENT RESEARCH December 1, 2014

SUPPORTING PREGNANT WOMEN WHO USE ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUGS: A GUIDE FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS MAY 15, 2016

FREE WEBINAR: UPDATED RESOURCES ON WOMEN AND ALCOHOL: APPLYING RESEARCH TO PRACTICE – MAY 8, 2014 April 21, 2014

FASD PREVENTION RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION: DEVELOPING A PAN-CANADIAN AGENDA WORKSHOP January 29, 2014

FASD INFORMED PRACTICE FOR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS March 27, 2014

RESEARCH MAKES LINKS BETWEEN GENDER, ETHNICITY, CHILDHOOD ABUSE AND ALCOHOL USE April 2, 2013

TRAUMA MATTERS: GUIDELINES FOR TRAUMA‐INFORMED PRACTICES IN WOMEN’S SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES April 17, 2013

WHO Europe: Prevention of harm caused by alcohol exposure in pregnancy

The World Health Organization’s regional office for Europe has published Prevention of harm caused by alcohol exposure in pregnancy: Rapid review and case studies from Member States.

In this report it is stated that Europe has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world, and that the gender gap in drinking, and in binge drinking, among young people has narrowed.

Looking over the past decade, the report features a review of 29 research studies and details current FASD prevention efforts of Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden. Studies included in the report were based on Recommendation 2 of the WHO Guidelines for the identification and management of substance use and substance use disorder in pregnancy, which calls for prevention of alcohol consumption in the general population of pregnant women through brief interventions. Consequently, the review excluded studies of alcohol-dependent women.

For women who may become pregnant, interventions related to both risky drinking and contraception were reviewed, such as CHOICES, EARLY and BALANCE.

For pregnant women, interventions to abstain from or reduce alcohol use, or to raise awareness were reviewed. Two of the studies with pregnant women included their partners and showed positive results regarding women reducing their drinking and partners supporting non-drinking.

Case studies of prevention efforts from the 8 profiled countries describe national awareness campaigns; screening and specialized treatment in clinical practice guidelines; national strategy/policy planning and implementation; and post-partum support including for those affected by FASD.   The report features a table that illustrates country-specific levels of FASD awareness, which can assist in developing focused strategies.

For more on related topics, see earlier blogs:

DANISH CAMPAIGN SUGGESTS THAT EVERYONE “STICK A CORK IN IT” ON OCTOBER 11TH, October 11, 2012

SPECIALIZED TREATMENT AND CARE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS AND THEIR CHILDREN IN HAGA, GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN, November 15, 2012

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RELEASES THE FIRST EVIDENCE-BASED GLOBAL GUIDELINES TO PREVENT AND TREAT SUBSTANCE USE BY PREGNANT WOMEN, April 28, 2014

GLOBAL STATUS REPORT ON ALCOHOL AND HEALTH 2014 – WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, July 24, 2014

PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING SCREENING AND BRIEF INTERVENTION FOR RISKY ALCOHOL USE: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR PRIMARY CARE PRACTICES FROM THE CDC, August 4, 2014

HOLISTIC AND SPECIALIZED SUPPORT FOR PREGNANT WOMEN: LEVEL 3 PREVENTION, November 21, 2016

Holistic and specialized support for pregnant women: Level 3 prevention

FASD ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 2015, PART 3

FASD Prevention: An Annotated Bibliography of Articles Published in 2015 organizes articles based on the four levels of prevention. We’ve been featuring some of those articles and in this post we narrow in on Level 3 FASD prevention efforts – specialized holistic support available to pregnant women with alcohol and other health or social problems. Following are a few of the bibliography articles with that research focus.

Two studies from South Africa underscore the interconnections of alcohol use in pregnancy and the benefits of integrated and holistic services for pregnant women. A large study done in Cape Town, randomly assigned all pregnant women in 24 low-income neighbourhoods either to standard care or to a home-visiting intervention. In total over 1,000 mothers were assessed during pregnancy and at 18 and 36 months post-partum with positive findings for those receiving the home-visiting intervention. The authors find that a significant relationship exists over time between alcohol use, partner violence and depression, and they recommend integrated interventions [1]. Similarly, a case management intervention for 67 pregnant women using Motivational Interviewing, Community Reinforcement Approach and life management reduced heavy drinking in pregnancy [2].

Marcellus, MacKinnon et al. through their work with the HerWay program in BC, Canada, “reenvision” success when working with pregnant women with problematic substance use. They identify a holistic range of indicators for success, not only for program participants, but for service providers, community partners and system leaders [3]. This kind of harm-reduction model is getting more attention in the USA. Kramlich & Kronk reviewed six such programs over the last 10 years and conclude that “comprehensive, integrated multidisciplinary services for pregnant women with substance use disorder aimed at harm reduction are showing positive results.”[4]

Torchalla, Linden et al. conducted interviews in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Canada, with 27 pregnant or post-partum women seeking harm-reduction services. They found that multiple forms of trauma were pervasive, ongoing, and reinforced in most areas of the women’s lives. Yet, most of the women did not want trauma-specific counseling when offered it. This underscores, according to the authors, the need for multi-focused, trauma-informed, harm-reduction interventions that broaden their focus to include gender-based violence and human rights [5].

Whitaker provides an overview of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on substance use during pregnancy [6]. The author identifies some of the limitations of the guidelines including effectiveness of varying treatment approaches, knowledge gaps, and ethical issues, yet calls the guidance essential reading for practitioners working with women, children and families where substance use is involved.

Findings show that relational, holistic/integrated, and trauma-informed approaches are effective ways to support substance using women and their families. Yet, training, education and support of practitioners who work with them are vital. Additionally, more research in a number of specific areas is needed.

Find out more about these journal articles as well as articles for all four levels of FASD prevention in The Annotated Bibliography.

REFERENCES

1. Rotheram-Borus, M.J., et al., Alcohol use, partner violence, and depression: A cluster randomized controlled trial among urban South African mothers over 3 years. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2015. 49(5): p. 715-725.
2. de Vries, M.M., et al., Indicated Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in South Africa: Effectiveness of Case Management. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health, 2015. 13(1).
3. Marcellus, L., et al., Reenvisioning success for programs supporting pregnant women with problematic substance use. Qualitative Health Research, 2015. 25(4): p. 500-512.
4. Kramlich, D. and R. Kronk, Relational care for perinatal substance use: A systematic review. MCN, the American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 2015. 40(5): p. 320-326.
5. Torchalla, I., et al., “Like a lots happened with my whole childhood”: violence, trauma, and addiction in pregnant and postpartum women from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Harm Reduction Journal, 2015. 12(1): p. 1-10.
6. Whittaker, A., Guidelines for the Identification and Management of Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders in Pregnancy. Drug & Alcohol Review, 2015. 34(3): p. 340-341.

FASD Intervention Newsletter from the Canada FASD Research Network

The Intervention Network Action Team (iNAT) of the Canada FASD Research Network focuses on research and knowledge translation in FASD interventions.

Check out the team’s 14th newsletter here and visit the FASD Intervention blog here. This newsletter includes interviews with folks working on the Caribbean Quest intervention program that aims to improve attention and working memory as well as information about the Strongest Families Research program.

FASD Prevention Research and Knowledge Translation: Developing a Pan-Canadian Agenda Workshop

Last week, the Canada FASD Research Network hosted “FASD Prevention Research and Knowledge Translation: Developing a Pan-Canadian Agenda Workshop” in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The event received news coverage in The Star Phoenix: More education on fetal alcohol effects needed (January 21, 2014).

The coverage also led to a series of editorials with a range of perspectives:

• FASD requires more than talk (January 22, 2014)
• Natives’ plight our shame (Murray Mandryk, January 24, 2014)
• Families need support earlier (Bob Pringle, January 24, 2014)
• Don’t stereotype (Anna Niessen, January 29, 2014)