OBJECTIVES: To explore the self-reported smoking-cessation interventions of maternity staff with pregnant smokers, and their attitudes towards smoking in pregnancy. DESIGN AND SETTING: Postal survey of all 137 maternity staff (clinical grades A-H) at a large acute hospital in London; 78 questionnaires were completed (response rate: 57%). FINDINGS: Over two-thirds of respondents (71%) reported not advising any pregnant women to give up smoking within the previous 7 days. However, nearly two-thirds (64%) felt that women should not be left to make up their own minds about whether or not to smoke during pregnancy, and even more (81%) agreed or strongly agreed that many pregnant women would like to give up smoking but need help and advice on how to succeed. Helping a pregnant woman to give up smoking was seen as being one of the most important things a midwife can do by 73% of the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Although the reported attitudes were supportive of the midwife's role in smoking cessation, they did not translate into practice. The level of smoking cessation interventions was low. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings from this study indicate some deficits in knowledge among maternity staff that training may address. Raising awareness of the local smoking-cessation service, and how to refer women to it, may increase the number of referrals maternity staff make.
OBJECTIVES: To explore the self-reported smoking-cessation interventions of maternity staff with pregnant smokers, and their attitudes towards smoking in pregnancy. DESIGN AND SETTING: Postal survey of all 137 maternity staff (clinical grades A-H) at a large acute hospital in London; 78 questionnaires were completed (response rate: 57%). FINDINGS: Over two-thirds of respondents (71%) reported not advising any pregnant women to give up smoking within the previous 7 days. However, nearly two-thirds (64%) felt that women should not be left to make up their own minds about whether or not to smoke during pregnancy, and even more (81%) agreed or strongly agreed that many pregnant women would like to give up smoking but need help and advice on how to succeed. Helping a pregnant woman to give up smoking was seen as being one of the most important things a midwife can do by 73% of the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Although the reported attitudes were supportive of the midwife's role in smoking cessation, they did not translate into practice. The level of smoking cessation interventions was low. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings from this study indicate some deficits in knowledge among maternity staff that training may address. Raising awareness of the local smoking-cessation service, and how to refer women to it, may increase the number of referrals maternity staff make.
Authors: Abby Hunter; Judith Yargawa; Caitlin Notley; Michael Ussher; Alex Bobak; Rachael L Murray; Srabani Nath; Sue Cooper Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2021-02-16 Impact factor: 4.244
Authors: Katarzyna Anna Campbell; Katharine Anna Bowker; Felix Naughton; Melanie Sloan; Sue Cooper; Tim Coleman Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2016-10-12 Impact factor: 3.390