ReviewHealth research policy and systems2019
To what extent is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder considered in policy-related documents in South Africa? A document review.
Review in Health research policy and systems, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- To what extent are vulnerability issues included and addressed in Kenya's health and immunization policy documents? A systematic review of documents.NIHR open research · 2025Pooled it
- Outcomes of substance use and sexual power among adolescent girls and young women in Cape Town: Implications for structural and cultural differences.Global public health · 2024Trial
- Landscaping the early child care policy architecture in sub-Saharan Africa and an in-depth review of Kenya.Frontiers in public health · 2026Review
- The positioning of policy documents in the field of health policy and systems research.Health research policy and systems · 2025Article
- Comparative content analysis of national health policies, strategies and plans before and after COVID-19 among OECD and BRICS countries.Global health research and policy · 2025Article
- How do South African policies address provision of contraception among adolescents?African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2024Review
- Multifaceted case management during pregnancy is associated with better child outcomes and less fetal alcohol syndrome.Annals of medicine · 2023Article
- Rethinking Local Economic Development for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Renosterberg Local Municipality, South Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Context and priorities for health systems strengthening for pain and disability in low- and middle-income countries: a secondary qualitative study and content analysis of health policies.Health policy and planning · 2023Article
- Gender and Context Matter: Behavioral and Structural Interventions for People Who Use Alcohol and Other Drugs in Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
- A pooled prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in South Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2021Article
- Document analysis in health policy research: the READ approach.Health policy and planning · 2021Article
- Policy Requirements for the Prevention and Management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in South Africa: A Policy Brief.Frontiers in public health · 2021Article
- A guideline for the prevention and management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in South Africa.BMC health services research · 2019Article
- The Distribution of Available Prevention and Management Interventions for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (2007 to 2017): Implications for Collaborative Actions.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019Review
- Integrated prevention and management of non-communicable diseases, including musculoskeletal health: a systematic policy analysis among OECD countries.BMJ global health · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSouth Africa is considered to have the highest prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) globally. Nevertheless, the extent to which the South African government has responded to the high FASD prevalence at the policy level is unclear. Herein, we aimed to identify targeted and generic clauses that could be attributed to the prevention and management of FASD in relevant South African policy documents.
methodsWe conducted a search of two search engines (PubMed and Google) and the websites of South African national and provincial departments from January to April 2018. A total of 33 policy documents were included in this review. Using content analysis, we sought documents that mention the terms 'fetal alcohol syndrome' and 'fetal alcohol spectrum disorder'. The Framework method was also used to thematically identify specific and generic clauses attributed to the prevention and management of FASD in South Africa.
resultsThe content analysis indicated that 12 policy documents contained the searched terms. Findings from the thematic analysis showed that targeted and generic clauses for FASD exist in various policy documents. Some of the generic clauses focused on the regulation of liquor outlets, enforcement of liquor laws, and the general management of persons with mental and educational challenges. Specific clauses focused on creating platforms to improve the awareness, screening, identification and support for individuals with FASD.
conclusionsThere is a noticeable increase in the number of policy documents that considered elements of FASD enacted in the last decade. Although this study revealed the existence of targeted and generic clauses that could be attributed to the prevention and management of FASD, the sustained high prevalence of FASD in South Africa, as reported in the literature, calls for more holistic and comprehensive approaches to tackle the FASD problem in South Africa.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.