Page 58 - Zero for nine: Reducing alcohol use during pregnancy via health counselling and Internet-based computer-tailored feedback

Chapter 3
2 = secondary vocational school/high school degree; 3 = higher vocational school/college degree/university degree), and income (1 = 0.5 or less; 2 = 0.5 – 2; 3 = more than 2 times net Dutch median household income). Partners’ drinking behaviour was measured by asking respondents whether they have ever used alcohol (0 = no; 1 = yes). Whether the partner desired that his pregnant spouse abstains from alcohol use was measured by one item (0 = no, small amounts/regular amounts of alcohol is okay/no opinion, don’t know; 1= yes, abstinence desired).
The next set of questions assessed information factors. Specifically, four questions assessed whether the respondent had received advice about prenatal alcohol use and support. The partner was asked whether he had received advice (a) from the pregnant spouse that abstinence by pregnant women from prenatal alcohol use is desirable; (b) advice from the midwife that abstinence by pregnant women from prenatal alcohol use is desirable; (c) advice from the pregnant spouse that support to abstain from alcohol use is needed; and (d) advice from the midwife that support to abstain from alcohol use is needed (0=no advice, different advice, don’t know, 1=yes, received this advice).
Awareness factors were assessed with questions about knowledge and risk perceptions. Knowledge was measured by an index of nine statements (0 = false/don’t know, 1= true) which assessed whether participants were aware about the harmfulness of drinking alcohol during pregnancy (e.g. alcohol use during pregnancy can lead to brain damage of the unborn child). An index of total knowledge was calculated by adding the number of items which were correctly answered. Risk perception was assessed with two items, that is perceived likelihood that the baby would experience harm (1 = very low; 5 = very high) and perceived severity of that harm to the baby (1 = not serious; 5 = very serious) if the pregnant woman would drink one glass of alcohol per month.
The subsequent set of questions assessed motivational factors, which included attitudes, social influences and self-efficacy. Attitudes towards providing support to the pregnant partner to abstain from alcohol use
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