Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #101878

H. Virginia McCoy, PhD¹, Luz S. Porter, PhD, ARNP², Brian Porter, MD, PhD, MPH³, Kaveri Rangappa, MBBS⁴, and Sachin Nunnewar, MBBS⁴. (1) Center for Health Research and Policy, Stempel School of Public Health, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St (HLS 595), Miami, FL 33199, (305) 348-2620, mccoyh@fiu.edu, (2) School of Nursing, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St (HLS 565), Miami, FL 33199, (3) Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, 3135 Ramsey Drive, Chester, VA 23831-7802, (4) Stempel School of Public Health, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St (HLS 595), Miami, FL 33199

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine parenting stress, hope, and infant safety (Parenting Stress Index, Herth Hope Scale, & Infant Safety Checklist) in recovering substance-abusing mothers (SAMs). Methods: Data are drawn from a baseline sample of 23 recovering SAMs, (sample of 70 available by November) recruited from three community agencies in Southeast Florida. Findings: Self-report data show a mean age of mothers as 29 and a history of 3-4 abortions. The mean number of children is 3. Almost three-fourths of the mothers have middle to high school level of education and 83% reported a yearly income of $10,000 or less. Pearson correlations found a significant relationship between hope and parenting stress (r=.562, p=.005), indicating that less parenting stress was evident when the mother experienced high hope levels. Infant supervision was not significant with either stress or hope, but may simply be due to the small sample size at this time. On item analysis, there was a negative relationship between parenting stress and seatbelt use for infant safety (r=-.432, p=.04), indicating that having no instruction on seat belt safety, the mother experienced less parenting stress, suggesting her lack of awareness of the dangers of having children unbelted. Infant supervision was significantly related to the mother's holding securely the baby's car seat or carrier during transit (r=.596, p=.003). Conclusion: Findings can produce a database for public health professionals, nurse practitioners, and substance abuse service providers for development of client-tailored parenting enhancement programs involving infant safety, parenting stress, and hope.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand the multigenerational impact of drug abuse
• To explore the developmental benefits of infant massage and parenting enhancement
• To describe a potential intervention for preventing recividism among substance abusing mothers.

Keywords: Drug Abuse, Women

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation