Open AccessSobering Thoughts: Town Hall Meetings on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Author(s) -
Doreen Major Ryan,
Doreen M. Bonnett,
Callie B. Gass
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2005.062729
Subject(s) - fetal alcohol , fetal alcohol syndrome , town hall , medicine , excellence , psychiatry , prenatal exposure , center of excellence , family medicine , pediatrics , alcohol , pregnancy , political science , gestation , biochemistry , chemistry , public administration , biology , local government , law , genetics
Prenatal exposure to alcohol is one of the leading causes of preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities. During the past 30 years, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), including fetal alcohol syndrome, have gradually begun to attract attention. However, awareness and understanding of the disorders remain low, and people who are affected are seriously underserved. The FASD Center for Excellence held a series of town hall meetings in 2002 and 2003 to gauge the issues surrounding FASD nationwide. On the basis of its findings, the center proposed a series of recommendations to begin to remedy some of the deficiencies that were identified.