Petersen Williams, Petal orcid.org/0000-0001-5535-2458, Erasmus-Claassen, Lesley-Ann, Taylor, Shantae et al. (5 more authors) (2024) Perceptions of perinatal alcohol use and treatment needs in Cape Town, South Africa:a qualitative study. Frontiers in psychiatry. 1199647. ISSN 1664-0640
Abstract
BACKGROUND: South Africa has one of the world's highest rates of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Recent evidence also showed that alcohol use during lactation significantly compromises child development in children exposed to alcohol through breastfeeding, independent of prenatal alcohol exposure. This study explored perceptions of perinatal alcohol use and treatment needs in Cape Town, South Africa, to inform the development of an intervention to encourage alcohol abstinence during pregnancy and breastfeeding. METHODS: Individual in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with women who were pregnant with a recent history of alcohol use (n=32) and clinic and community stakeholders (n=16). Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Coding and thematic analyses were conducted in NVivo 12. RESULTS: Results indicate widespread perception that women know the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant with much less known about drinking while breastfeeding. Mixed views were shared about whether women who are pregnant or breastfeeding experience alcohol-related stigma. Participants described contextual factors impacting drinking that include interpersonal violence, lack of support, stress, anxiety and poverty, and drinking being normalised. Finally, participants had mixed views and conflicting knowledge of available resources to support alcohol reduction and highlighted a desire for support groups and the involvement of partners in alcohol interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study highlight the need for an alcohol intervention programme that is innovative and tailored to the needs of women who are pregnant or postpartum. It also highlights the importance of including community-based support and partner involvement in these interventions.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 Petersen Williams, Erasmus-Claassen, Taylor, Browne, Wechsberg, Myers, Parry and Washio. |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Health Sciences (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 14 Mar 2025 14:10 |
Last Modified: | 15 Mar 2025 00:13 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1199647 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1199647 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:224472 |
Download
Filename: fpsyt-15-1199647.pdf
Description: Perceptions of perinatal alcohol use and treatment needs in Cape Town, South Africa: a qualitative study
Licence: CC-BY 2.5