SCOPE AND EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG A GROUP OF RURAL VERMONT MOTHERS ENROLLED IN THE WIC PROGRAM.
Contributors: Union Institute (U.S.)
Published: 1996
Number of pages: 116
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Sociology, Public and Social Welfare.
Description: This study investigated both prevalence and relevant correlates of alcohol abuse for a group of adult low-income rural mothers enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) supplemental nutrition program. A structured survey examined the group's perceptions of personal threat from another's abusive drinking, perceptions of supportive social networks, and both opinions and barriers for utilization of local alcohol treatment services. A primary alcohol screening tool (Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test) and self-reports of alcohol consumption tolerance were also completed by the sample (N = 149) of undivided pregnant and parenting women attending a rural Vermont WIC clinic during a 3 month period from October 1994 to January 1995. Overall, 67.8 percent of the full sample were associated with alcohol abuse: 17.5 percent of the women were alcohol-abusing and 50.3 percent were associated with a problem drinker. Forty-eight women (32.2 percent) were not involved with alcohol abuse. Among the full group of pregnant women (N = 21), 14 women (66.7 percent) had a tolerance for alcohol that could be considered predictive risky drinking for pregnancy with four of these women (19 percent) alcohol-abusing. It was significant that both more nonalcohol-abusing women (70.7 percent, p =.001) and alcohol-abusing women (86.7 percent,; =.005) reported feeling thteatened by another's abusive drinking-related behaviors. Alcohol-abusing women had fewer social supports. The full sample perceived childcare as a barrier for utilizing local alcohol treatment services. More alcohol associated women (66.0 percent) perceived the local alcohol treatment services as not helpful. Alcohol abuse places an at risk population at increased risk. Local WIC screening efforts are not recognizing the scope of the problem, which raises questions about the effectiveness of the methods used to identify these mothers at risk for the harmful effects of alcohol abuse.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-10, Section: B, page: 6176.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNION INSTITUTE, 1996.

School code: 1033.