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Actual and predicted prevalence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy in the WHO African Region
Author(s) -
Popova Svetlana,
Lange Shan,
Probst Charlotte,
Shield Kevin,
KraicerMelamed Hannah,
FerreiraBorges Carina,
Rehm Jürgen
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.12755
Subject(s) - binge drinking , sierra leone , population , confidence interval , pregnancy , demography , medicine , psychological intervention , environmental health , alcohol consumption , consumption (sociology) , geography , alcohol , socioeconomics , poison control , injury prevention , psychiatry , biology , biochemistry , sociology , genetics , social science
Objective To estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and binge drinking during pregnancy among the general population in the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region, by country. Methods First, a comprehensive systematic literature search was performed to identify all published and unpublished studies. Then, several meta‐analyses, assuming a random‐effects model, were conducted to estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and binge drinking during pregnancy among the general population for countries in the WHO African Region with two or more studies available. Lastly, for countries with less than two studies or no known data predictions were obtained using regression modelling. Results The estimated prevalence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy among the general population ranged from 2.2% (95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 1.6–2.8%; Equatorial Guinea) to 12.6% (95% CI : 9.9–15.4%; Cameroon) in Central Africa, 3.4% (95% CI : 2.6–4.3%; Seychelles) to 20.5% (95% CI : 16.4–24.7%; Uganda) in Eastern Africa, 5.7% (95% CI : 4.4–7.1%; Botswana) to 14.2% (95% CI : 11.1–17.3%; Namibia) in Southern Africa, 6.6% (95% CI : 5.0–8.3%; Mauritania) to 14.8% (95% CI : 11.6–17.9%; Sierra Leone) in Western Africa, and 4.3% (95% CI : 3.2–5.3%; Algeria) in Northern Africa. Conclusions The high prevalence of alcohol consumption and binge drinking during pregnancy in some African countries calls for educational campaigns, screening and targeted interventions for women of childbearing age.