Health care provider decision-making around prenatal substance use reporting

Original research
by
Roberts, Sarah C.M., Claudia Zaugg & Noelle Martinez

Release Date

2022

Geography

USA

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

Recent research has found that harms related to alcohol and/or drug (AOD) use during pregnancy are not limited to those associated with use itself; harms also result from policies and health care practices adopted in response, including reporting to Child Protective Services (CPS). This study sought to understand factors that influence health care providers’ reporting practices.

Findings/Key points

Many of the factors that influence physician decision-making in reporting pregnant/birthing people who use AOD to CPS are outside the control of individual physicians and require social, structural, and policy changes. Those that are individual-focused involve intense emotions and thus are unlikely to be influenced by solely didactic cognitive-focused trainings.

Design/methods

37 semi-structured interviews

Keywords

Parents/caregivers
Policy/Regulatory
About prescribers
Social services