FASD prevention: Making the links to woman abuse, substance use, and mental health

1
FASD prevention Making the links to woman abuse,
substance use, and mental health

• Dr. Amy Salmon, Managing Director
• Canada Northwest FASD Research Network
• Clinical Asst. Prof., UBC School of Population
  and Public Health

2
Violence against women and FASD prevention

• Study of Birth Mothers of 160 children with FAS
• Of the 80 interviewed
• 100 were sexually, physically or emotionally
  abused
• 80 met the diagnostic criteria for a serious
  mental illness
• 80 lived with men who did not want them to quit
  drinking when they were pregnant

Astley, S. J., Bailey, D., Talbot, C., Clarren,
S. K. (2000). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Primary Prevention through FASD Diagnosis II A
comprehensive profile of 80 birth mothers of
children with FAS. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 35(5),
509-519.
3

• I think it needs to be everybodys
  responsibility. I dont think it should just be
  put on the mothers. I think it should be the
  fathers job. I mean, his dad made me drink a
  couple of times when I was pregnant with him,
  because he was I mean, to try and make us not to
  fight, he would try to get me to drink, when I
  was angry, and that kind of stuff.- Shannon

4
The Uterine Tradition Woman as Vessel Matthews
1987
5
Just Say No The Shame and Blame Approach
6
Maternal Substance Use as Fetal Abuse
7
(No Transcript)
8
Experiences and expectations of discrimination
are barriers to treatment and care
To just focus on Aboriginals, it makes you feel
more whats the word? I dont know if stigmata
is really applicable, but theres a lot all
ready. Like, people talk about treaties, and
people already think badly about Aboriginal
people Then they dont want to go. You know,
like they feel they dont deserve help. And then
people who are racially biased, theyll be, see
look. There are people who complain about oh,
they get all these things. You can see why they
need it. They cant not drink when theyre
pregnant. That what I mean about stigmata,
like, the bad label. -Jo-Anne
9
and barriers to care can entrench experiences
and expectations of discrimination
When you dont get health care, you dont get
the sense of belonging, you dont get the sense
of your importance Sharon
10
Welcoming, low threshold, and outreach services
are key

• The most important aspect of service provision is
  a supportive, non-judgmental approach
• addressing fear, stigma, misinformation and
  discrimination
• meeting women where they are at
• helping women with related harms, especially
  harms from violence

11
For more information www.canfasd.ca

• Dr. Amy Salmon asalmon_at_cw.bc.ca