A Study of Drug Abusing African-American Pregnant Women

Abstract

Many studies have focused on pregnant women who have used crack cocaine and other drugs during pregnancy, but few studies have conducted interviews with the women either during pregnancy or after delivery while undergoing residential care and the recovery process to determine what they feel their program needs are in an effort to ensure successful treatment. This exploratory study was undertaken specifically to consider not only drug-use patterns and sexual risk behaviors, but primarily to consider what characteristics the women felt would make drug treatment intervention strategies more effective for them and their families, including the significant other in their lives. Interviews were conducted at three residential treatment facilities for women as well as at home, after program discharge. Eighty-three women participated in this project, which was both quantitative and qualitative. There is discussion of the nurturing program that should be considered for use with this population.