Missed opportunities for intervening in the lives of pregnant women addicted to alcohol or other drugs
Gehshan, S.
Journal of the American Medical Women's Association 50(5): 160-163
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0098-8421 PMID: 7499704 Document Number: 445342
This study examined the practices of health care providers in detecting substance abuse among pregnant women and making appropriate referrals for treatment and other services. Data were gathered through personal interviews with 181 addicted women during visits to four sites and through a survey of 94 substance abuse treatment programs in the South. The typical woman in the sample was 31 years old, white, divorced or separated, and had been using alcohol and other drugs for 12.7 years. A majority (65%) had been asked about alcohol and drug use by physicians or nurses during their most recent pregnancies. Of those who were asked, 43% admitted alcohol or drug use, and an additional 13% were using but did not admit it. Very few women (5%) were referred to drug counselors or programs. A majority (59%) were not given information about the effects of alcohol or drug use on pregnancy. Even when prenatal care providers ask addicted women about substance abuse, they often fail to make appropriate referrals to treatment.