Tag Archives: Alaska

“Dispensers at Yukon College, Dirty Northern pub”

“Dispensers at Yukon College, Dirty Northern pub”

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE ARTICLE

By: Philippe Morin, CBC News, 29 March 2015

Accessed on: 29 March 2015

Commentary by: Sarah Cibart

A few weeks ago Whitehorse became home to a research project out of the University of Alaska Anchorage. The project, funded by the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Society Yukon (FASSY), focuses on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD. A major part of the project involves pregnancy test dispensers in washrooms meant to encourage women to ensure they are not pregnant before they consume alcohol. The second piece of this project aims to provide women with education and support surrounding pregnancy and alcohol consumption. The dispenser with pregnancy tests also has a QR Code (smartphone scanner) which links to FASD resources and a survey. If the women complete the survey, they are entered to win a $15 iTunes gift card.

In this article the interviewer speaks with Jessica Fulmer, who lives with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and is a mother herself. Fulmer states that she would have found it much easier to take a pregnancy test in college had the washrooms offered an accessible, affordable, and discreet dispenser. “It is scary to learn you are pregnant”, said Fulmer, “this is one thing that will help break the stigma.”

Wendy Bradly, Director of FASSY, says the pregnancy test dispensers help normalize the process of testing for pregnancy. It is her hope that these dispensers become as normalized as condom dispensers in public washrooms. New and innovative methods of surveying ways to support women in FASD prevention are both valuable and groundbreaking.

“Baby or booze? GN sends explicit message to expectant Nunavut moms”

CLLICK HERE TO ACCESS ARTICLE: http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674baby_or_the_bottle_gn_wants_to_starts_dialogue/

By: Sarah Rogers, NunatsiaqOnline, 24 September 2014

Accessed on: 1 October 2014

Commentry by: Robyn Morin

On September 9, 2014 the Government of Nunavut released a new ad campaign in recognition of International FASD Awareness Day (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder). The ad was created to bring awareness to the direct impact of alcohol consumption on an unborn fetus. The image on the poster is a silhouette of a pregnant woman and the unborn fetus. The woman is holding a bottle to her mouth and yellow liquid is pouring through her body directly to the fetus.

The ad is said to be targeting younger pregnant women as there is a high population of young females in Nunavut. The ad is in English and Inukitut.

Since its release, the ad is eliciting mixed reactions due to the visual image on the poster. Many people, from various professional backgrounds, have commented on how the image does not provide information on support services to pregnant woman especially youth that are pregnant. Instead, critics argue, the ad places blame on women without considering other factors that contribute to maternal drinking. Proponents argue the importance of the images as they bring awareness about the impact of alcohol consumption.

The goal of the Government of Nunavut was to bring awareness to the direct effect of alcohol consumption while pregnant. The ad has proven to be effective as conversations have occurred—whether in support or against the campaign, people are talking about FASD.

What are your thoughts? Does this ad campaign bring awareness to the direct effects of alcohol consumption or does the ad place blame solely on the women who is pregnant?

Free pregnancy tests in bars an effort to curb Alaska’s FASD rates

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS ARTICLE: Free pregnancy tests in bars an effort to curb Alaska’s FASD rates

By: Charlo Green, KTVA Alaska, 20 June 2014

Accessed on: 17 July 2014

Commentary by: Jeanelle Mandes

Last month, Charlo Greene published an article about approaching the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) using a different method. The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies came up with an idea to introduce pregnancy tests in Alaskan bars. Alaska has a high rate of FASD and with this idea; they hope this technique will bring awareness to women who consume alcohol.

Janet Johnstone, with the UAA Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, believes this approach may help women to think twice when about to consume alcohol if they may be pregnant.

“If someone is drinking at a bar and they see the test, they may just think about it a little more. Also if someone takes the test and finds out they’re pregnant, that hopefully will also have an effect on their drinking,” said Johnstone.

Not only will pregnancy test dispensers be available in bars, but there will also be posters with warning messages will be put up in some restaurants and bars.

With these two methods, there will be surveys provided for women to answer questions about the warning techniques. With the gathered data, the researchers will be able to gain a picture of which system reached out to the women best.

The bars and restaurants will start seeing these by the end of the year and the researchers will expect to have the outcomes within two years.

Others may wonder if these approaches are worth the effort but in a state with a high rate of FASD, many may think any technique is better than no technique.

Q&A: Senator proposes state-funded pregnancy tests in ‘war’ on FASD

Q&A: Senator proposes state-funded pregnancy tests in ‘war’ on FASD

By: Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News, 20 March 2014

Accessed on: 6 April 2014

Commentary by: Sarah Cibart

FASD prevention is a mission shared by citizens and lawmakers alike. However, the path to achieving the mission varies and could be considered quite controversial.

Pete Kelly, finance co-chairman senator has declared his mission to end FASD through a campaign he’s calling a “war on FASD.” His plan includes: publically funded pregnancy tests in restaurants and bars in Alaska, millions of dollars towards “FASD awareness”, recruiting “citizen helpers” to counsel women to stop drinking before and during pregnancy, as well as further developing ideas in the anti substance abuse “think-tank board” Kelly created earlier this year in Alaska.

“The idea here is that the community is involved, the private sector is involved and the government is involved” says Kelly.

When Hopkins asked senator Kelly if birth control would be equally as accessible as pregnancy tests in Alaskan bars after the “FASD war” had begun, Kelly responded saying “No. Because the thinking is a little opposite. This assumes if you know [you are pregnant] you’ll act responsibly. Birth control is for people who don’t necessarily want to act responsibly.”

Such arguments suggest the primary goal in FASD prevention is changing the behaviours of individual women, rather than considering the larger systemic impacts that contribute to women drinking while pregnant. Although access to pregnancy tests and community counseling may be helpful, greater access to birth control and increasing education surrounding FASD would also be an efficient use of resources.

I suggest watching the full interview Hopkin’s has with Kelly. For further reading, check out Shannyn Moore’s opinion piece in response to Kelly’s campaign at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shannyn-moore/free-ept-tests-in-alaska_b_5015941.html

Group of lawmakers fighting fetal alcohol syndrome

Group of lawmakers fighting fetal alcohol syndrome

By: Matt Buxton (Fairbanks Daily News: Newsminer.com), 3 Feb 2014

Accessed on: 3 Feb 2014

Commentary by: Krystal Glowatski

A group of lawmakers in Alaska have “declared war on fetal alcohol syndrome.”  The new public health campaign known as “Empowering Hope” consists of a variety of members: Kelly, Sen. Anna Fairclough, R-Eagle River, former Doyon executive Norm Phillips, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority CEO Jeff Jessee, University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton, retired Superior Court Judge Niesje Steinkruger, Val Davidson of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and former Rep. Reggie Joule.

One of the initiatives the group hopes to instate is “natural responders” within rural communities.  These people would “serve as a rural community’s first responder to help keep a pregnant woman from endangering her unborn child with alcohol.”  Touching on a previous blog I wrote in February, the group will also initiate an awareness campaign to make women aware of the dangers of drinking while pregnant.

Kelly states, “this approach — having and [sic] end-goal of eradicating the problem — is a much-needed departure from traditional thinking.”  I think the widespread, common goal already focuses on eradication, based on all of the talk of prevention across the country, and indeed, internationally.  It will be interesting to see what the following weeks will bring in terms of information on “Empowering Hope’s” plan for the short and long-term.  Perhaps there will be some innovative approaches coming out of Alaska in the near future.