Data & Statistical Reports

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Data collection began in March 2006 and will continue through July 2008.  The birth cohort for the Missouri Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Rural Awareness and Prevention Project (MOFASRAPP) consists of all children born between Jan 1, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2006 and whose biological mothers were residents of the MOFASRAPP target region.  The following table provides the details of the current status of chart abstractions for the MOFASRAPP project:

The data provided in the table should be interpreted within the context of the following limitations:

1. Refusal of some hospitals to share medical records for the purposes of this project
2. Underreporting of alcohol consumption by mothers on birth certificates – a major source for identifying potential cases

Methodology for Data Collection

Potential FAS cases were identified through multiple sources – vital records, birth defects registry, and special health care needs registry, developmental disability clinics.  The data systems were queried for variety of FAS indicators, especially maternal alcohol consumption or substance abuse and other key elements, based on literature and experiences of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Surveillance Network (FASSNet) states.  Subsequent to the identification of potential FAS cases from any one of the data systems chart abstractors physically go to the birthing hospitals in the target region to perform Medical record abstraction of these cases.  The abstractors are provided with a laptop loaded with the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Surveillance Link (FASSLink) custom software – developed and provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to states for FAS case ascertainment, into which data from the medical records is entered.  Every attempt is made to capture all the critical data elements necessary for FAS case ascertainment by FASSLink.  After entering the required data into the FASSLink software, developed and provided by CDC for FAS case ascertainment, a computer-generated algorithm will determine the status as either confirmed, probable, or pending.