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Since 2015 we have been discussing awareness raising as one of the 4 levels of FASD prevention via this blog. This month we share selected examples of posters developed in Canada to promote awareness of the risks of alcohol use during pregnancy, as a reminder of best practice in awareness raising.
What can we achieve with awareness raising posters?
CanFASD has created Tips for creating effective alcohol and pregnancy awareness campaigns to promote understanding of effective approaches. These tips highlight how posters and other awareness raising products can:
- Influence knowledge and levels of awareness, and shift unhelpful attitudes and beliefs
- Encourage information seeking
- Convey info about how to make positive changes and identify where to receive support and services
- Remind people who already know the facts of the issue and reinforce this knowledge
- Show how we all play a part in FASD prevention, that FASD prevention is not only the responsibility of pregnant women & gender diverse individuals
Included in the resource, four components for effective posters are named:
- Comprehension – posters contain simple, clear information
- Noticeability – posters are easy to read and are placed in an easy to see location
- Recall – posters are memorable
- Integrated – posters connect us to more learning and resources
Evidence-informed awareness raising using posters
Drawing upon these 4 components and integrating a women’s health determinants perspective, awareness raising posters can be supportive of healthy pregnancies, contribute to FASD prevention and be non-stigmatizing. Here are a few Canadian examples of posters that use components of evidence-based approaches:
Noticeability and use of non-stigmatizing images and messaging
The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute offers many helpful images which can be used in poster development for prevention efforts.
The images are positive and inclusive – avoiding images that are unnecessarily threatening or stigmatizing. Unnecessarily graphic images can be off-putting, can prompt a fear-based response, that in turn can cause women who have consumed alcohol while pregnant to feel helpless, ashamed, and hesitant to seek healthcare.
In this poster from the Yukon, a catchy image is shown with two coffee cups side-by-side. The poster considers a prominent reason for alcohol use – social connection – and suggests places and ways in which people can gather and have an alcohol-free pregnancy.
Finding the balance between naming the risk and connecting to supports
It is important to clearly state the risk of alcohol use in pregnancy without disempowering or stigmatizing pregnant women and gender diverse individuals. This is key to their acting on the information, and reaching out for support as needed.
The Piruqatigiit Resource Centre in Nunavut offer a poster about Tamatta/Circles of Support which includes clear information and is informed by culture-based principles. They support information seeking with the statement “it’s never too late to reach out” and provide an address in Iqaluit, and website and phone number to access for additional information and support.
Promotes collective responsibility for FASD prevention
As with the Circle of Support poster, it is important to advance collective responsibility for FASD prevention. Support for reducing/stopping alcohol use in pregnancy needs to be placed with partners, friends, health care providers, communities, liquor distribution branches, policy makers, etc.
This poster (and accompanying pamphlet) is part of BC Liquor Stores’ social responsibility commitment. They place posters and distribute pamphlets about the risks of alcohol use during pregnancy in government stores.
And this poster from the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute promotes awareness of the responsibility of partners, specifically.