Promoting abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy: implications from formative research.

This research developed messages to promote abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy and identified elements that enhance message persuasiveness. An exploratory phase was conducted in 2009 that comprised four focus groups with 23 women in Western Australia and elicited beliefs and attitudes on alcohol use during pregnancy and motivations for behavior change. Four television concepts were subsequently developed and appraised in five focus groups with 31 participants using standard advertising pretesting questions.

Attitudes and behaviour predict women's intention to drink alcohol during pregnancy: the challenge for health professionals.

Background: To explore women's alcohol consumption in pregnancy, and potential predictors of alcohol consumption in pregnancy including: demographic characteristics; and women's knowledge and attitudes regarding alcohol consumption in pregnancy and its effects on the fetus.

Methods: We conducted a national cross-sectional survey via computer assisted telephone interview of 1103 Australian women aged 18 to 45 years. Participants were randomly selected from the Electronic White Pages.

Changes in health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and practice following provision of educational resources about prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

We provided health professionals in Western Australia (WA) with educational resources about prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and assessed changes in their knowledge, attitudes and practice concerning fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and alcohol consumption in pregnancy. Following our 2002 survey of health professionals in WA, we developed and distributed educational resources to 3348 health professionals in WA in 2007. Six months later we surveyed 1483 of these health professionals.

Researchers' experience with project management in health and medical research: results from a post-project review.

Background: Project management is widely used to deliver projects on time, within budget and of defined quality. However, there is little published information describing its use in managing health and medical research projects. We used project management in the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project (2006-2008) http://www.

Collaborating with consumer and community representatives in health and medical research in Australia: results from an evaluation.

Objective: To collaborate with consumer and community representatives in the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project from 2006-2008 http://www.ichr.uwa.

Paediatricians' knowledge, attitudes and practice following provision of educational resources about prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Aim: The study aims to provide paediatricians in Western Australia (WA) with educational resources (http://www.ichr.uwa.

RE-AIM evaluation of the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project: educational resources to inform health professionals about prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

The objective was to evaluate the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project that provided health professionals in Western Australia (WA) with educational resources to inform them about prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The authors developed, produced, and distributed educational resources to 3,348 health professionals in WA. Six months later, they surveyed 1,483 of these health professionals.

Women's knowledge and attitudes regarding alcohol consumption in pregnancy: a national survey.

Background: Alcohol exposure in pregnancy is a common and modifiable risk factor for poor pregnancy and child outcomes. Alcohol exposure in pregnancy can cause a range of physical and neurodevelopmental problems in the child including the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). In order to improve prevention strategies, we sought to describe the knowledge and attitudes of women of childbearing age regarding alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its effects on the fetus.

Health professionals addressing alcohol use with pregnant women in Western Australia: barriers and strategies for communication.

Health professionals have an important role to play in preventing prenatal alcohol exposure. In 2006 qualitative data were collected from 53 health professionals working in primary care in metropolitan and regional Western Australia. Thematic analysis was used to elucidate barriers in addressing prenatal alcohol use and the strategies used to overcome them.

People's beliefs about factors contributing to mental health: implications for mental health promotion.

Issue Addressed: To quantify people's perceptions of mental health identified in qualitative research and to inform mental health promotion communication strategies.

Methods: A statewide telephone survey of 1,500 adults was conducted in Western Australia using a structured questionnaire containing both open and closed-ended questions.

Results: The vast majority of people had negative (or illness) connotations to the words 'mental health', but had positive connotations to the term 'mentally healthy person'.