FASD
in Arizona 2005
©
2005 Teresa Kellerman
Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are a serious threat to the health and economy
of Arizona. There were 93,843
babies born in Arizona last year. (1) The
latest annual report from the Arizona Department of Health states that there
were no cases of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) recorded. (2) Because of
the stigma attached to FAS, less than 1% of new mothers in Arizona report
that they drank during pregnancy. (3)
About
half of all women of childbearing age in the United States drink alcohol
regularly, and about half of those female drinkers engage in binge drinking. (4) Of women in
their peak childbearing years, from age 18-25, the rate of drinking is 63% and
the rate of binge drinking is 34%. The
rate of alcohol consumption in Arizona is about the same as the national
average. (4)
About
half of all pregnancies are unplanned, meaning the mother does not expect to be
pregnant, and may not know she is pregnant during the first several weeks, when
organs are forming and the brain is beginning to develop.
Of women in their first trimester of pregnancy, 23% report having
consumed alcohol in the past month. (4)
Out
of the 93,843 babies born in Arizona last year, it is estimated that 12.4%
- more than 11,000 of these babies - were born to
mothers who engaged in binge drinking during pregnancy. (6) These babies are at risk of significant brain damage that
could result in permanent disabilities and lifelong difficulties.
Ann
Streissguth’s research in Washington State indicates a rate of one case of
FASD out of every 100 births. (5) If
we apply this rate to Arizona, this would mean about 900 babies are born each
year in Arizona with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, or FASD.
Of these, about 180 are born with full FAS.
In one year.
The
population of the state of Arizona as of last year’s census was 5.4 million
people. It is estimated that one
out of 100 babies are born with significant but often invisible disabilities due
to prenatal exposure to alcohol. FAS
prevalence expert Larry Burd estimates that in the state of Arizona,
approximately 50,000 individuals are living with a significant degree of FASD,
and that 5,000 probably have full FAS. (7) According to Streissguth’s studies,
about 25% of those with full FAS have an IQ under 70.
That means that 75% have an IQ in the normal range.
Only 9% of those with Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) have an IQ under 70.
Of all those with FAS and FAE, only 16% have an IQ low enough to qualify
for DD services (DD stands for developmental disabilities).
Still, that amounts to about 8,000 persons in the state of Arizona with
FASD who could qualify for DD services. But
the Department of Developmental Disabilities has on their records only 80
consumers in the entire state with FAS or FAE.
A majority of those affected do not receive adequate, appropriate support
services and become lost in the system at great cost to individuals, their
families, and the community. The
cost to Arizona taxpayers is estimated to be more than $100 million every year.
(8)
1.
Advance Vital Statistics, Arizona, 2004.
Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Public Health
Statistics, Vital Statistics Section by Christopher K. Mrela, Ph.D., Assistant
Registrar of Vital Statistics, Trentham Coe, Senior Research Data Analyst, p 3
2.
Arizona Health Status and Vital Statistics 2003,Table 5B-28.
3.
Arizona Health Status and Vital Statistics 2003, Table 1B-24.
4.
Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration. (2004). Results from the 2003
National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (Office of
Applied Studies, NSDUH Series H–25, DHHS Publication No. SMA 04–3964).
Rockville, MD.
5.
Teratology 1997 Nov;56[5]:317-26
6.
“Alcohol
consumption among women who are pregnant or who might become pregnant- United
States, 2002.” MMWR Morb Wkly Rep 2004;53(50):1178-81
7.
Prevalence and Cost Calculator, 2003, Larry Burd, Ph.D., Director, North Dakota
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Center.
8.
SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence econonmics expert Henrick Harwood at Women’s
Summit June 2004.