Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the leading known cause of preventable developmental disability in Canada.
| OTTAWA, Aug. 29, 2019 /CNW/ - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the leading known cause of preventable developmental disability in Canada. It affects the brain and body of people prenatally exposed to alcohol. People living with FASD can face life-long mental, physical, behavioural and learning disabilities. They also can experience some degree of challenge related to motor skills, physical health, learning, memory, attention, emotional regulation and social skills. Recognizing that FASD is a serious public health issue, the Government of Canada is committed to providing support to Canadians to address and prevent this disorder. Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, announced nearly $1 million in funding over four years to support the Association pour la santé publique du Québec (ASPQ) project FASD: Talking about it to better act (website available in French only). In an effort to help address stigma associated with FASD throughout the province of Quebec, ASPQ will develop and implement a bilingual awareness campaign to share messaging on FASD prevention and the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. To help inform the campaign, ASPQ will use literature reviews and population surveys to identify the province’s current knowledge and understanding of FASD and related stigma, social pressures, alcohol consumption by women, and marketing strategies that the alcohol industry uses to target women. This project is funded under the Government of Canada’s FASD National Strategic Projects Fund, which allocates $1.5 million annually to organizations that develop knowledge, evidence, tools and resources that address FASD in Canada. Quote “Creating awareness about FASD is important to help prevent and reduce stigma associated with the disorder. The Association pour la santé publique du Québec’s project is a key component in addressing FASD and raising awareness in the province of the risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy. By supporting projects like these, we can help increase knowledge of FASD and, in turn, reduce the prevalence of FASD in Canada.” The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor Quick Facts
Associated Links SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada |