Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome May Be Higher Than Previously Assumed, Study Suggests

The prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome in the United States may be much higher than previous estimates have assumed, with conservative estimates suggesting as many as 1.1% to 5% of first-grade children in four communities are affected, according to areport published today inJAMA.The results suggest that physicians should be alert to identifying women of child-bearing age who may be at risk for alcohol abuse.“These prevalence estimates are consistent with mounting evidence that harmful fetal alcohol exposure is common in the United States today,” Philip A. May, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and colleagues wrote. They “may represent more accurate U.S. prevalence estimate s than previous studies but may not be generalizable to all communities.”Using “active case ascertainment”—an especially rigorous study method for case identification—May and colleagues sampled more than 6,000 first graders in four communities: the Rocky Mountain, Midwestern, Southeastern, and Pacific Southwestern regions. The researchers systematically assessed the ch ildren in the four domains relevant to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: physical growth, dysmorphic features, neurodevelopment, and prenatal exposure. Prenatal exposure was assessed through maternal interviews conducted by trained study staff in person or over the telephone.Of 6,639 children selected for participation (out of a first-grade population in the four regions of more than 13,000), a total ...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: active case ascertainment fetal alcohol syndrome JAMA ürgen Rehm Philip A. May prevalence Shannon Lange Svetlana Popova Source Type: research