Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Children and adolescents affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol who have brain damage that is manifested in functional impairments of neurocognition, self-regulation, and adaptive functioning may most appropriately be diagnosed with neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal exposure. This Special Article outlines clinical implications and guidelines for pediatric medical home clinicians to identify, diagnose, and refer children regarding neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal exposure. Emphasis is given to reported or observable behaviors that can be identified as part of care in pediatric medical homes, differential diagnosis, and potential comorbidities. In addition, brief guidance is provided on the management of affected children in the pediatric medical home. Finally, suggestions are given for obtaining prenatal history of in utero exposure to alcohol for the pediatric patient

Evaluating Alcohol use among Russian Women at Risk for an Alcohol-exposed Pregnancy: A Comparison of Three Measures of Alcohol use

The Quick Drinking Screen (QDS) and Timeline Followback (TLFB), measures of alcohol use, have yielded similar reports of drinking with English speakers. The present study, a secondary data analysis, compared three measures of alcohol use (i.e., QDS, TLFB, and AUDIT) among Russian-speaking women. This is the first study to compare all three measures. This study replicated the findings of studies with English speakers and demonstrated that brief screening measures (QDS, AUDIT) provide reliable summary measures of alcohol use when compared to a detailed drinking measure (TLFB). The use of brief screening measures is recommended for use with Russian women

Using a single binge drinking question to identify Russian women at risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy

Introduction Low rates of contraception and at-risk drinking place many Russian women at risk of an alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP). The only realistic way to determine when women are at risk of AEP is by self-reports. A U.S. study found that a single binge-drinking question (SBD) effectively identified nearly all women whose drinking placed them at risk of AEP. Methods The present study replicated the U.S. study. Participants were 689 non-pregnant Russian women of childbearing age who were at AEP risk. Their answers to SBD, “During the previous three months, how often did you have four or more drinks on one occasion”, were compared with their reports of binge drinking on a 90-day Timeline Followback (TLFB) calendar. Results The SBD identified 99% of at-risk Russian women as binge drinkers, replicating U.S. findings. Only 8% of the women were identified at-risk using a second AEP criterion of ≥ 8 drinks on average per week. Although Russian women did not report heavy weekly drinking and two-thirds did not meet AUDIT criteria for problem drinking, when they did drink, 40% of the time it was binge drinking. Conclusions Almost all Russian women who were at risk of an AEP were identified by a single binge-drinking question. Results from this study suggest that Russian health care practitioners can use SBD to successfully screen women for AEP risk. SBD identified 99% of Russian women who were at AEP risk. Consequently, it is recommended that SBD be incorporated into routine health care screenings at OB/GYN clinic visits

Brief FASD prevention intervention: physicians’ skills demonstrated in a clinical trial in Russia

BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can result in a range of adverse pregnancy outcomes including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Risky drinking among Russian women constitutes a significant risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies (AEP). Russian women report that obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) physicians are the most important source of information about alcohol consumption during pregnancy and developing effective prevention interventions by OB/GYNs is indicated. This is the first study focused on implementation of an AEP prevention intervention at women’s clinics in Russia. METHOD: The paper describes the intervention protocol and addresses questions about the feasibility of a brief FASD prevention intervention delivered by OB/GYNs at women’s clinics in Russia. Brief physician intervention guidelines and two evidence-based FASD prevention interventions were utilized to design a brief dual-focused physician intervention (DFBPI) appropriate to Russian OB/GYN care. The questions answered were whether trained OB/GYN physicians could deliver DFBPI during women’s routine clinic visits, whether they maintained skills over time in clinical settings, and which specific intervention components were better maintained. Data were collected as part of a larger study aimed at evaluating effectiveness of DFBPI in reducing AEP risk in non-pregnant women. Methods of monitoring the intervention delivery included fidelity check lists (FCL) with the key components of the intervention completed by physicians and patients and live and audio taped observations of intervention sessions. Physicians (N = 23) and women (N = 372) independently completed FCL, and 78 audiotapes were coded. RESULTS: The differences between women’s and physicians’ reports on individual items were not significant. Although the majority of physician and patient reports were consistent (N = 305), a discrepancy existed between the reports in 57 cases. Women reported more intervention components missing compared to physicians (p < 0.001). Discussing barriers was the most difficult component for physicians to implement, and OB/GYN demonstrated difficulties in discussing contraception methods. CONCLUSIONS: The results supported the feasibility of the DFBPI in Russia. OB/GYN physicians trained in the DFBPI, monitored, and supported were able to implement and maintain skills during the study. In addition to the alcohol focus, DFBPI training needs to have a sufficient component to improve physicians’ skills in discussing contraception use