DETECTING PRENATAL SUBSTANCE EXPOSURE - AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS AND POLICY DISCUSSION

Despite considerable public and media concern, little attention has be en devoted to prevention or early detection of substance use during pr egnancy. A limited literature suggests that this lack of attention ste ms from a lack of policies or procedures for systematically identifyin g substance-using pregnant women and substance-exposed neonates in hea lth care institutions. This study was designed to generate exploratory data about health care provider response to prenatal substance exposu re and to examine current substance detection policies and practices i n health care institutions. Based on interviews in local hospitals, st udy data reveal many disincentives to detecting substance exposure. Fo r the most part, detection policies are not being developed or impleme nted, although hospitals serving poor communities are more likely to h ave such policies. Policy implications are discussed, including the ap propriateness of mandated detection policies and whether such policies should be developed at the state or federal level.