Abstract
The highest rates of fetal alcohol syndrome worldwide can be found in South Africa. Particularly in impoverished townships
in the Western Cape, pregnant women live in environments where alcohol intake during pregnancy has become normalized and interpersonal
violence (IPV) is reported at high rates. For the current study we sought to examine how pregnancy, for both men and women,
is related to alcohol use behaviors and IPV. We surveyed 2,120 men and women attending drinking establishments in a township
located in the Western Cape of South Africa. Among women 13.3% reported being pregnant, and among men 12.0% reported their
partner pregnant. For pregnant women, 61% reported attending the bar that evening to drink alcohol and 26% reported both alcohol
use and currently experiencing IPV. Daily or almost daily binge drinking was reported twice as often among pregnant women
than non-pregnant women (8.4% vs. 4.2%). Men with pregnant partners reported the highest rates of hitting sex partners, forcing
a partner to have sex, and being forced to have sex. High rates of alcohol frequency, consumption, binge drinking, consumption
and binge drinking were reported across the entire sample. In general, experiencing and perpetrating IPV were associated with
alcohol use among all participants except for men with pregnant partners. Alcohol use among pregnant women attending shebeens
is alarmingly high. Moreover, alcohol use appears to be an important factor in understanding the relationship between IPV
and pregnancy. Intensive, targeted, and effective interventions for both men and women are urgently needed to address high
rates of drinking alcohol among pregnant women who attend drinking establishments.
in the Western Cape, pregnant women live in environments where alcohol intake during pregnancy has become normalized and interpersonal
violence (IPV) is reported at high rates. For the current study we sought to examine how pregnancy, for both men and women,
is related to alcohol use behaviors and IPV. We surveyed 2,120 men and women attending drinking establishments in a township
located in the Western Cape of South Africa. Among women 13.3% reported being pregnant, and among men 12.0% reported their
partner pregnant. For pregnant women, 61% reported attending the bar that evening to drink alcohol and 26% reported both alcohol
use and currently experiencing IPV. Daily or almost daily binge drinking was reported twice as often among pregnant women
than non-pregnant women (8.4% vs. 4.2%). Men with pregnant partners reported the highest rates of hitting sex partners, forcing
a partner to have sex, and being forced to have sex. High rates of alcohol frequency, consumption, binge drinking, consumption
and binge drinking were reported across the entire sample. In general, experiencing and perpetrating IPV were associated with
alcohol use among all participants except for men with pregnant partners. Alcohol use among pregnant women attending shebeens
is alarmingly high. Moreover, alcohol use appears to be an important factor in understanding the relationship between IPV
and pregnancy. Intensive, targeted, and effective interventions for both men and women are urgently needed to address high
rates of drinking alcohol among pregnant women who attend drinking establishments.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s10900-011-9438-7
- Authors
- Lisa A. Eaton, Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention, University of Connecticut, 2006 Hillside Rd, Storrs, CT 06269-1020, USA
- Seth C. Kalichman, Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention, University of Connecticut, 2006 Hillside Rd, Storrs, CT 06269-1020, USA
- Kathleen J. Sikkema, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Donald Skinner, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- Melissa H. Watt, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Desiree Pieterse, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- Eileen V. Pitpitan, Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention, University of Connecticut, 2006 Hillside Rd, Storrs, CT 06269-1020, USA
- Journal Journal of Community Health
- Online ISSN 1573-3610
- Print ISSN 0094-5145