Abstract
BackgroundAlcohol use during pregnancy has been associated with several births and developmental disorders. This study set out to determine the various forms of alcohol consumption among pregnant women and their predictors in post conflict Northern Uganda.MethodsIn the months of May to June 2019, we conducted a cross sectional study among 420 pregnant women seeking antenatal care services at both Government and private health facilities in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts in Northern Uganda. We asked them about consumption of various alcoholic beverages. A three stage stratified cluster sampling approach was used and study participants randomly selected from health facilities of interest. We used descriptive statistics to estimate the prevalence of various forms of alcohol use. The chi- square test and logistic regression were used to assess associations of alcohol use among respondents and their socio - demographic and other characteristics.ResultsOverall 99 women (23.6%) reported current alcohol use (any amount). Up to 11% (N = 11) of all drinkers were identified by the AUDIT to be women with problem drinking behavior, 8% (N = 8) of women reported hazardous drinking and only four (4%) were women with active alcohol dependent behavior. Predictors of maternal alcohol use included pre-pregnancy alcohol consumption, knowledge, attitude, education level, parity and residence.ConclusionsThis study indicates that alcohol use (any mount) during pregnancy is high while alcohol dependence, problematic and hazardous drinking is low. Knowledge and attitude were important predictors of alcohol use. While alleviating alcohol use, development partners and relevant government departments should consider communication and other interventions that increase knowledge and risk perception on maternal drinking. Other risk factors that predict maternal drinking such as prior alcohol use, residence and parity should be mitigated or eliminated.
Highlights
Alcohol use during pregnancy has been associated with several births and developmental disorders
This study investigated the prevalence of various forms of alcohol use during pregnancy and their predictors in post conflict northern Uganda
Study area and design From the month of May to June 2019, we conducted a cross sectional study of women attending the antenatal care at selected health facilities in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts in Post Conflict Northern Uganda
Summary
Alcohol use during pregnancy has been associated with several births and developmental disorders. Some studies in Uganda have recorded higher prevalence of alcohol use in the general population in post conflict Northern Uganda compared to other regions in the country [2,3,4] This has been attributed to armed banditry and traumatic stress resulting from the two- decade civil war between the Lord’s resistance Army and the Government of Uganda that displaced 90% of the region’s population [5]. The relationship between alcohol use, poverty and war has been well established Because of these associations, we hypothesize that pregnant mothers in the lowest wealth quintile from conflict affected areas are more likely to drink than their other contemporaries. This has a bearing on the health of the mother and the baby
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