PSYCHOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PREGNANT-WOMEN WITH AND WITHOUT A HISTORY OF SUBSTANCE-ABUSE

This study was undertaken to identify the psychosocial characteristics and service needs of pregnant women with substance abuse histories. T wo hundred and twenty-five pregnant women defined as having high-risk pregnancies for psychosocial reasons were interviewed using a structur ed questionnaire when they presented for prenatal care at a large urba n clinic. Women who admitted to problems with substance abuse were com pared to those who denied a history of substance abuse. Women with an admitted history of substance abuse were significantly older, had more children, were more likely to live on their own or in an institutiona l setting, and more frequently reported that they currently smoked cig arettes. In addition, women with substance abuse problems delayed pren atal care an average of one month longer. Other differences between th e two groups, as well as the implications of the findings for social w ork practice in health care settings, are discussed.