Prenatal drug education in public and private schools of Nebraska.

Substance abuse during pregnancy continues to be a serious health problem in the United States. Hazards associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by pregnant women have been documented. The extent to which prenatal drug education is included in school health education has not been addressed. This survey determined the nature and extent of prenatal drug education being conducted by Nebraska school teachers in health-related fields. Educators in public and private schools who teach health-related courses were surveyed. Respondents indicated prenatal drug education is being addressed in a variety of courses. Amount of time devoted to the topic was 2.68 hours overall. Problems associated with providing prenatal drug education included inadequate teacher knowledge and training, lack of appropriate materials, and time limitations in the curriculum. Implications for comprehensive school health education are identified.