Helping Chinese fathers quit smoking through educating their nonsmoking spouses: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
Assess the effectiveness of a two-step health education program by nurses delivered through nonsmoking mothers to help fathers of sick children quit smoking.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled trial.


METHODS
General pediatric wards of four major hospitals in Hong Kong.


METHODS
Nonsmoking mothers who had a live-in smoking spouse were recruited when they brought sick children to the hospital. A total of 752 mothers were randomized into the intervention arm and 731 into the control arm.


METHODS
The intervention group received standardized health advice, behavior modification booklets, and a 1-week telephone reminder. The control group received usual care.


METHODS
The main outcome measure was the quit rate (7-day point prevalence) of smoking fathers as determined by telephone follow-up with mothers at 3 and 12 months. Quit attempts and smoking reduction were secondary outcome measures.


RESULTS
At 3 months, more fathers in the intervention group had quit smoking (7.4% vs. 4.8%; p = .03), reduced daily cigarette consumption by 50% or more (30.6% vs. 22.6%; p < .001), and reported quit attempts (6.5% vs. 3.6%; p = .01). The differences were not statistically significant by 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
A simple health education intervention provided by nurses to mothers of sick children has a short-term effect in helping smoking fathers quit, reduce consumption, and trigger quit attempts. Future studies should confirm the longer-term sustainability of the effect.
Chan
Sophia S C
SS
Department of Nursing Studies, University of Hong Kong, 4/F William M W Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam Hong Kong SAR, China. nssophia@hkucc.hku.hk
Leung
Gabriel M
GM
Wong
David C N
DC
Lam
Tai-Hing
TH
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors