Knowledge of Health Risks of Heavy Drinking[1] and Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome (FAS), Women and Men Ages 18 to 44 Years, 1985 and 1990
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Former
All Abstainer Drinker
----------- ----------- -----------
Health Risk 1985 1990 1985 1990 1985 1990
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Women
Agree that heavy
drinking increases
the risk of:
miscarriage 87 89* 87 88 87 90
mental retardation 87 90* 86 89* 89 91
low birth weight 88 91* 88 90* 90 91
birth defects 88 92* 87 91* 90 90
Yes, heard of FAS 62 73* 52+ 65* 67 78*
FAS Description:
Child born[2]
drunk 3 4 4 5 3 3
addicted to alcohol 72 58* 72 60* 73 54*
with certain birth
defects[3] 25 39* 24 36* 24 43*
Men
Agree that heavy
drinking increases
the risk of:
miscarriage 82 82 81 77 87 82
mental retardation 79 81 79 78 87+ 81
low birth weight 79 82* 78 79 82 81
birth defects 80 83* 80 80 86+ 82
Yes, heard of FAS 49 55* 38 44 51 56
FAS Description:
Child born[2]
drunk 3 4 4 5 3 5
addicted to alcohol 73 60* 67 59 78 59*
with certain birth
defects[3] 24 36* 29 37 18 37*
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Knowledge of health risks of heavy drinking and Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome (FAS), women and men ages 18 to 44 years, 1985 and 1990
(Continued)
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Current Risk
Drinker Drinker [1]
----------- -----------
Health Risk 1985 1990 1985 1990
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Women
Agree that heavy
drinking increases
the risk of:
miscarriage 89 92* 87 91
mental retardation 88 92* 87 91
low birth weight 90 92* 88 93*
birth defects 89 94* 88 92
Yes, heard of FAS 67 77* 66 76*
FAS Description:
Child born[2]
drunk 3 4 3 3
addicted to alcohol 71 57* 69 61
with certain birth
defects[3] 26 40* 28 36
Men
Agree that heavy
drinking increases
the risk of:
miscarriage 84 84 80 81
mental retardation 81 83* 79 80
low birth weight 80 84* 75 79
birth defects 81 85* 79 82
Yes, heard of FAS 50 57* 47 51
FAS Description:
Child born[2]
drunk 3 4 2 4
addicted to alcohol 73 60* 75 64*
with certain birth
defects[3] 24 36* 23 32
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Data from the 1985 and 1990 Health Promotion and Disease
Prevention Questionnaires of the National Health Interview
Survey, National Center for Health Statistics. Weighted
percentages.
[1] Average of more than one drink a day (women); more than
two drinks a day (men).
[2] Excludes respondents who have never heard of FAS.
[3] Correct response.
* Significantly different (p < 0.05) from 1985.
Significantly different (p < 0.05) within year from all
combined.
Source: Dufour, M.C.; Williams, G.D.; Campbell, K.E.; and
Aitken, S.A. Epidemiologic Bulletin No. 33: Knowledge
of FAS and the risks of heavy drinking during pregnancy,
1985 and 1990. Alcohol Health & Research World 18(1):
86-92, 1994.
Information furnished by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
