Warning labels on alcohol containers as a source of information on alcohol consumption in pregnancy among New Zealand women
Received 27 July 2009; received in revised form 11 October 2009; accepted 17 October 2009. published online 20 November 2009.
Abstract
Background
The addition of a warning label on alcohol containers is a policy measure yet to be adopted in New Zealand. The current study aims to report the rating of a national sample of 16–40-year-old non-pregnant New Zealand women on a warning label on alcohol containers as a source of information on risks associated with alcohol consumption in pregnancy.
Methods
A nationwide, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2005 on a random sample of 1129 non-pregnant women aged 16–40 years. Data were collected via an interviewer-administered questionnaire using a Web-assisted telephone interviewing system.
Results
Overall, the survey achieved a response rate of 65%. Just over half of the women surveyed (53%; 95% CI 50.2–56.0) gave a high rating for a warning label as a source of information on alcohol consumption in pregnancy. Women below 30 years of age and who were of non-European ethnicity were more likely to give a high rating compared with older women and European women, respectively (p<0.05).
Conclusions
Introduction of a warning label on alcohol containers in New Zealand may be effective in increasing awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption in pregnancy among at-risk drinkers, namely, younger women and New Zealand women of Maori and Pacific ethnicities. However, to accentuate behavioural change, other prevention approaches within a health promotion framework may be needed to complement this approach.
aCentre for Asian Health Research and Evaluation (CAHRE), Social and Community Health, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Pvt Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
bDepartment of Marketing, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
cDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
ABSTRACT