Improving services for women who are pregnant and alcohol dependent

• Reach:

  National

• Focus area:

  Mainstream

• Status:

  Current

• Evaluated:

  No

Overview

This project aims to improve treatment practices of chronic alcohol dependence in pregnancy. At present, only a small proportion of pregnant women who drink at high levels are identified and treated. There are a number of reasons for this, and to date barriers to treatment have been identified as including a fear of losing custody of their children, a lack of childcare if they were to go into treatment, a lack of access or priority for pregnant women and a lack of special services.

This study will examine ethnographic and social research on attitudes to Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), problems in identification and diagnosis and other barriers in accessing services. In particular, this study will examine the role of gender stereotypes in the development of alcohol use problems in contemporary Australian society. Through this project, a new resource will be produced for use by clinicians to improve practices in the management of
alcohol dependence in pregnancy.

The project is funded by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) - formely known as Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation (AER) Foundation - and is being carried out by researchers in the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NSW).

AER Foundation abstract

Contacts

Dr Lucy Burns
Senior Lecturer
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NSW)
Ph: (02) 9385 0258

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NSW)
University of New South Wales
Sydney NSW 2052
Ph: (02) 9385 0333
Fax: (02) 9385 0222
Email: ndarc@unsw.edu.au

Links

• View information: AER Foundation research on Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
• View information: Treatment for alcohol dependant women
• View website: Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE)
• View website: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre