Broodryk Mandi, Louw Jaco G, Acker Debbie, Viljoen Denis L, Olivier Leana
Foundation for Alcohol Related Research, Cape Town, South Africa.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Afr J Disabil. 2024 Aug 26;13:1386. doi: 10.4102/ajod.v13i0.1386. eCollection 2024.
Even though adults with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are at risk of negative life outcomes, there is no published evidence of this in South Africa, which has the highest estimated FASD prevalence rate globally.
The purpose of the study was to describe and compare the life outcomes of adults with FASD and adults without FASD in a South African rural community, 16 years after diagnosis.
Participants were examined and interviewed regarding their biographical information, knowledge of FASD, information on their family, relationships, home circumstances, education, work and medical history.
Adults with FASD were less likely to be in a relationship and more likely to have poor educational outcomes and to be exposed to violence as victim or perpetrator than their peers who did not have FASD. None of the participants with FASD completed secondary school successfully. No differences were found for independent living, employment, health, substance use and legal outcomes, between the foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or partial foetal alcohol syndrome (PFAS) and control group.
While significant differences existed in certain aspects, differences are not as stark as one would expect between individuals with FASD and controls.
This study highlights the importance of considering the social context in which a FASD diagnosis is made. The comparative negative impact of an FASD diagnosis and the associated challenges on life outcomes may be less pronounced in rural communities where everyone has fewer opportunities and resources. This can also make the unique needs of persons with disabilities less visible.
尽管患有胎儿酒精谱系障碍（FASD）的成年人面临负面生活结局的风险，但在全球FASD患病率估计最高的南非，尚无关于此的已发表证据。
本研究的目的是描述并比较南非一个农村社区中，被诊断为FASD的成年人与未患FASD的成年人在诊断16年后的生活结局。
对参与者进行了检查，并就其个人信息、FASD知识、家庭、人际关系、家庭环境、教育、工作和病史等方面进行了访谈。
与未患FASD的同龄人相比，患有FASD的成年人恋爱的可能性较小，教育结局较差，更有可能遭受暴力侵害或实施暴力行为。没有一名患有FASD的参与者成功完成中学学业。在胎儿酒精综合征（FAS）或部分胎儿酒精综合征（PFAS）患者与对照组之间，在独立生活、就业、健康、物质使用和法律结局方面未发现差异。
虽然在某些方面存在显著差异，但FASD患者与对照组之间的差异并不像人们预期的那么明显。
本研究强调了在做出FASD诊断时考虑社会背景的重要性。在机会和资源较少的农村社区，FASD诊断及其相关挑战对生活结局的相对负面影响可能不那么明显。这也可能使残疾人的特殊需求不那么明显。
