Evaluation of a service provider short course for prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

South Africa has among the highest reported rates of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) globally. Primary prevention targeting women at risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies could substantially reduce the incidence of FAS. We evaluated the effectiveness of a short training intervention to improve service providers' screening, identification, and management of women at risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies. METHOD:

Training to screen and counsel women at risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies was offered to 86 service providers (95% of whom were female) in two municipalities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Effectiveness was evaluated through a before-after study of service providers' knowledge and confidence levels and a comparison of service providers' practices (assessed indirectly via service user exit interviews) at intervention and control clinics. RESULTS:

The proportion of service providers indicating that alcohol use during pregnancy is harmful to the fetus increased after training (23% vs. 67%; p < .001). After training, providers expressed significantly more confidence for four skills indicators related to the identification and management of women at risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. Female clients at intervention clinics were more likely than those at the control clinics to receive alcohol advice (odds ratio [OR] = 2.13, 95% CI [1.27, 3.53]), counseling (OR = 1.3, 95% CI [1.05, 1.56]), and an offer of family planning (OR = 1.1, 95% CI [1.06, 2.10]) after the training. Time × Group interaction variable analysis in multiple logistic regression modeling confirmed these effects as related to training. CONCLUSIONS:

A short training course based on brief motivational interviewing principles appears to be effective in building service provider capacity to better prevent and manage women at risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies.