SmokeChange for changing smoking in pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the extent to which SmokeChange, a personalised intervene, enabled pregnant women to rede their exposure to tobacco smoke.


METHODS
A cross-section of general medical practices was randomly selected. General Practitioners (GPs) were to register all pregnant women with the SmokeChange programme. Smoking women were contacted by a SmokeChange Educator, who visited them at home. The Educator worked with women and their families for up to twelve months in order to support cognitive, environmental and behavioural changes to smoking.


RESULTS
GPs registered 1,390 pregnant women. Current smoking, was reported by 437 (31.4%) and 209 (47.8% of smokers) chose to enrol with the SmokeChange intervention programme. of these, 149 women (34.1% of smokers) continued with the programme for at least four visits. From this 'long' participation group, 28 (18.8%) had stopped smoking entirely by their last visit in pregnancy. Another 26 (17.4%) reported at least one cessation attempt, together with a reduction of smoking consumption by 63% at the end of pregnancy. The 95 (63.8%) continued smokers had reduced their smoking consumption by 40%. Substantial smokefree environment (homes and cars) changes were also made.


CONCLUSIONS
The SmokeChange approach of personalised intervention, matched to individual readiness for change, was both acceptable to pregnant women and enabled participants to substantially reduce tobacco toxin exposure to themselves and their developing infants.
Ford
R P
RP
Community Paediatric Unit, Christchurch. rodneyf@chhlth.govt.nz
Cowan
S F
SF
Schluter
P J
PJ
Richardson
A K
AK
Wells
J E
JE
D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D011247:Pregnancy; D012008:Recurrence; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation