Prevention from a Women's Health Determinants Perspective
NEW - Link to our blog, Girls, Women, Alcohol and Pregnancy
The Prevention from a Women’s Health Determinants Perspective team links and catalyzes researchers and collaborators across the four western provinces and three territories to address issues of FASD prevention with women from a social determinants of health perspective. Membership includes researchers, service providers and policy advisors from all seven jurisdictions.
Research Plans
This team is committed to building the knowledge base related to FASD prevention through work with women and their support systems on a range of health and social issues, and bring this knowledge into research, prevention, treatment, policy, and community settings.
Priorities for this work include:
- building awareness of the current approaches to FASD prevention being taken at all levels in all jurisdictions;
- identifying gaps in research;
- and building multi-sectoral, collaborative teams to address research and evaluation priorities of communities.
Current Activities
The team meets on a regular basis through a virtual workspace and regular monthly web meetings.
Key areas of work:
- submitted a grant application for research funding from the CIHR for an Emerging Team Grant related to knowledge translation in mental health and addiction
- mapping services across all 7 jurisdictions that are in a position to support women at risk of having a child affected by FASD in 4 key areas, prenatal health and nutrition, housing, violence and addictions
- involved in preparation of a synthesis of research on barriers and supports to women's access to services
- involved in preparation of a presentation at the International FASD Conference in March 2011
Related Activities
The Network leaders are Dr Amy Salmon and Nancy Poole of the British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health. Amy and Nancy are involved in a number of studies and initiatives related to the Network goals, including:
Housing as a Determinant of Health for High Risk Mothers and Their Children, a longitudinal study of the impact of supportive housing for mothers with substance use problems and their children in the perinatal period. This study being done in collaboration with the YWCA of Greater Vancouver and the Sheway Program will help us describe the issues facing mothers with substance use problems, the services they and their children use and how/if supportive housing in the first year postnatally influences their access to services.
Tracking Health, Custody and Related Social Outcomes for Mothers Discharged from the Fir Square Combined Care Unit, BC Women’s Hospital a study funded by the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development and the BC Women’s Hospital Auxiliary to study the three and twelve-month outcomes of mothers discharged from the specialized stabilization and maternity care unit for substance-using women and their infants at BC Women’s Hospital. This study will identify key health, housing, custody and other issues mothers face after they leave the hospital.
ActNow BC: Healthy Choices in Pregnancy - In collaboration with BC Women’s Hospital and the BC Reproductive Care Program, BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health researchers and educators are leading province-wide educational sessions in over 30 communities, with a wide range of professionals, on the topic of discussing alcohol and tobacco use with pregnant women/all women of childbearing years. This educational work represents a key component of the Healthy Choices in Pregnancy pillar of the ActNow BC platform, a government-wide health promotion initiative.
Speeches, Presentations and Committee Work
The 30 core Network Action team members are involved in publishing articles, making presentations, undertaking committee work, and identifying funding opportunities in a wide range of forums, on the local, regional, provincial, national and international levels. For more information, contact Amy Salmon at asalmon@cw.bc.ca or Nancy Poole npoole@cw.bc.ca.
Publications
Relational Approach: The Importance of Supportive and Timely Connections (2010). FASD Prevention from a Women's Health Determinants Perspective. Download
Consensus Statement - 10 Fundamental Components of FASD Prevention from a Women's Health Determinants Perspective, 2010. Download
Barriers to Care - an information sheet describing the issues that pregnant women and mothers with substance use problems face when trying to access supports, 2007. Download
Team description, their membership and their research activities, 2009. Download
Team description, their membership and their research activities, 2007. Download
Coalescing on FASD Prevention from a Women's Health Determinants Perspective: FACE poster, 2007. Download
NAT members publications
Rutman, D., & Van Bibber, M. (2009). Parenting with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Int J Ment Health Addiction. Received: 30 May 2009 / Accepted: 23 November 2009. doi 10.1007/s11469-009-9264-7. Link to download
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