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Tobacco use for identifying pregnant women at risk of substance abuse
D Svikis1, J Henningfield, P Gazaway
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Objective:
To examine the effectiveness of current smoking status as a rapid screening tool to identify pregnant women at risk of heavy alcohol and/or illicit drug use.
Study Design:
Women (N = 92) seeking prenatal care were interviewed to assess lifetime and recent tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use. Rates of recent heavy alcohol and illicit drug use were compared in current smokers and nonsmokers.
Results:
All subjects reporting recent heavy alcohol and/or illicit drug use were current smokers; none were nonsmokers.
Conclusion:
Obstetric screening of pregnant women for current smoking status seems to be a cost-effective method of identifying those at risk of antepartum heavy alcohol and/or illicit drug use.