Abstract
Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a complex diagnosis that includes a wide range of neurodevelopmental disabilities, results from exposure to alcohol in the womb. FASD remains poorly understood by Canadians, which could contribute to reported stigma faced by both people with FASD and women who drink alcohol while pregnant. Methods: To better understand how information about FASD is presented in the public sphere, we conducted content analysis of 286 articles from ten major English-language Canadian newspapers (2002-2015). We used inductive coding to derive a coding guide from the data, and then iteratively applied identified codes back onto the sample, checking inter-coder reliability. Results: We identified six major themes related to clinical and scientific media content: 1) prevalence of FASD and of women’s alcohol consumption; 2) research related to FASD; 3) diagnosis of FASD; 4) treatment of FASD and maternal substance abuse; 5) primary disabilities associated with FASD; and 6) effects of alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Discussion: Across these six themes, we discuss three instances of ethically consequential exaggeration and misrepresentation: 1) exaggeration about FASD rates in Indigenous communities; 2) contradiction between articles about the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure; and 3) scientifically accurate information that neglects the social context of alcohol use and abuse by women. Respectively, these representations could lead to harmful stereotyped beliefs about Indigenous peoples, might generate confusion about healthy choices during pregnancy, and may unhelpfully inflame debates about sensitive issues surrounding women’s choices.
Highlights
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a complex diagnosis that spans a wide range of neurodevelopmental disabilities affecting roughly 1 in 100 Canadians [1], results from alcohol exposure in the womb
Résultats : Nous avons identifié six grands thèmes liés au contenu alcohol consumption; 2) research related to FASD; 3) diagnosis of cliniques et scientifiques des médias : 1) prévalence de l‘ETCAF et FASD; 4) treatment of FASD and maternal substance abuse; de la consommation d’alcool chez les femmes ; 2) recherche en lien 5) primary disabilities associated with FASD; and 6) effects of avec l’ETCAF ; 3) diagnostic d’ETCAF ; 4) traitement de l’ETCAF et alcohol exposure during pregnancy
We identified six major themes, or content areas corresponding to our codes, broken down across fifteen sub-themes, with the most frequent being descriptions of the primary disabilities associated with FASD (48%, n=136), and prevalence of FASD and of women’s alcohol consumption (46%, n=131)
Summary
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a complex diagnosis that spans a wide range of neurodevelopmental disabilities affecting roughly 1 in 100 Canadians [1], results from alcohol exposure in the womb. Compounding the issue, survey data indicate that while most Canadians know that FASD exists (86%) and that drinking alcohol when pregnant can harm a fetus (76%), they provide less accurate descriptions of its signs and symptoms [6,7,8] This lack of public knowledge could indicate that sources other than exposure or personal experience, such as the news media, could be important for the public’s understanding of FASD. Discussion: Across these six themes, we discuss three instances of ethically consequential exaggeration and misrepresentation: 1) exaggeration about FASD rates in Indigenous communities; 2) contradiction between articles about the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure; and 3) scientifically accurate information that neglects the social context of alcohol use and abuse by women These representations could lead to harmful stereotyped beliefs about Indigenous peoples, might generate confusion about healthy choices during pregnancy, and may unhelpfully inflame debates about sensitive issues surrounding women’s choices
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