title: Tobacco use and environmental smoke exposure among Taiwanese pregnant smokers and recent quitters: risk perception, attitude, and avoidance behavior.
abstract: In this study, we conducted an empirical survey of the avoidance behaviors and risk perceptions of active and passive smoking pregnant smokers and recent quitters. We employed an online questionnaire survey by recruiting 166 voluntary participants from an online parenting community in Taiwan. The results of the empirical survey revealed that three-fourths of smokers quit smoking during pregnancy and one-fourth continued smoking. All pregnant women who continued smoking had partners or lived with relatives who smoked. Current smokers and quitters differed significantly in their risk perceptions and attitudes toward smoking during pregnancy. Most pregnant smokers and quitters adopted passive smoking avoidance behaviors at home and in public. Nevertheless, one-fifth of pregnant women chose not to avoid passive smoking. We concluded that most women stop smoking during pregnancy; however, most women continue to be exposed to passive-smoking environments. Perceived fetal health risks and attitudes toward smoking during pregnancy are critical predictors of the anti-smoking behaviors of pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Business Administration, National Taipei College of Business, 321 Jinan Rd., Section 1, Taipei 100, Taiwan. laimc@mail.ntcb.edu.tw
authors.forename: Ming-Cheng
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Feng-Sha
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Yann-Jy
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chih-Chien
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming-Chang
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution