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Author(s)
Laura Jones
Presenter(s)
Dr Laura Jones Research Fellow, Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham
Abstract
Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) has been causally linked with childhood morbidities including asthma and sudden infant death syndrome. Secondhand smoke exposure remains a significant public health concern, with over half of UK children who live with smokers being regularly exposed to SHS at home. Systematic reviews of SHS and smoke-free home (SFH) interventions highlight that, at present, there is limited evidence for the effectiveness of any intervention to reduce children’s domestic SHS exposure. We do know, however, that when smokers who are parents cannot stop smoking, the most reliable way to reduce their children’s exposure is via complete home smoking bans. However, parents may face significant barriers when trying to initiate such changes in their smoking behaviour.
This presentation summarises qualitative research with disadvantaged families and healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Nottingham that has mapped the facilitators and barriers to initiating and maintaining a SFH and will discuss a SFH intervention that is currently being developed and tested. Additionally, it will provide an overview and report findings from a preliminary evaluation of an online module which aims to train HCPs in providing very brief advice on how to reduce SHS exposure and promote SFH. The module was developed building on the above research in collaboration with the NCSCT.
Source of funding: This talk presents independent research commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research funding scheme
(RP-PG-0608-10020). The views expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and not
necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. In addition, the research conducted in Nottingham was supported by core funding to the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies (www.ukctcs.org) from the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, and the Department of Health, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration.
