State-of-the-art interventions for office-based parental tobacco control

Digital preconception interventions targeting weight, diet and physical activity: A systematic review

AIM

Optimising preconception health increases the likelihood of conception, positively influences short- and long-term pregnancy outcomes and reduces intergenerational chronic disease risk. Our aim was to synthesise study characteristics and maternal outcomes of digital or blended (combining face to face and digital modalities) interventions in the preconception period.

METHODS

We searched six databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, CINHAL and PsycINFO) from 1990 to November 2022 according to the PRISMA guidelines for randomised control trials, quasi-experimental trials, observation studies with historical control group. Studies were included if they targeted women of childbearing age, older than 18 years, who were not currently pregnant and were between pregnancies or/and actively trying to conceive. Interventions had to be delivered digitally or via digital health in combination with face-to-face delivery and aimed to improve modifiable behaviours, including dietary intake, physical activity, weight and supplementation. Studies that included women diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics quality criteria checklist. Study characteristics, intervention characteristics and outcome data were extracted.

RESULTS

Ten studies (total participants n=4,461) were included, consisting of nine randomised control trials and one pre-post cohort study. Seven studies received a low risk of bias and two received a neutral risk of bias. Four were digitally delivered and six were delivered using blended modalities. A wide range of digital delivery modalities were employed, with the most common being email and text messaging. Other digital delivery methods included web-based educational materials, social media, phone applications, online forums and online conversational agents. Studies with longer engagement that utilised blended delivery showed greater weight loss.

CONCLUSION

More effective interventions appear to combine both traditional and digital delivery methods. More research is needed to adequately test effective delivery modalities across a diverse range of digital delivery methods, as high heterogeneity was observed across the small number of included studies.

Adolescent smoking patterns: Associations with sociodemographic factors, cyberbullying, and psychiatric diagnoses in an outpatient clinical sample

There is a scarcity of research on smoking in adolescents within a clinical (outpatient) sample, and there is no existing knowledge on the relationship between cyberbullying and smoking in this population. The primary aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of smoking among adolescents in a clinical sample. Additionally, it aims to examine the potential associations between smoking status and factors such as socioeconomic characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, and cyberbullying levels. A cross-sectional study was performed on 200 adolescents who visited a tertiary child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. Participants were assessed using the DSM-5 based psychiatric evaluation, the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version-DSM-5 Turkish Adaptation (K-SADS-PL-DSM-5-T), the Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory-II, and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. The study found that 21% of the sample consisted of regular smokers, with a higher prevalence observed among older adolescents. The prevalence of depression and disruptive behavior disorders was significantly greater in the smoking group compared to other groups (p:0.043, p < 0.001, respectively). There was a significant difference in the scores for the cyberbullying bully subdimension among smokers (p = 0.013). The results of the multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated significant associations between smoking and age, maternal smoking status, friends smoking status, and a diagnosis of disruptive behavior disorder (p < 0.05 for all variables). This study reveals a significant prevalence of adolescent smoking in an outpatient clinic. These findings highlight the necessity of implementing focused smoking cessation interventions for this specific population.

Epidemiology of pediatric acute mastoiditis in Israel: A National Registry 10-year perspective

Background and Objectives

Previous small studies have proposed a higher incidence of acute mastoiditis in Israeli pediatric patients than in other Western countries. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of acute mastoiditis and its epidemiological features over a decade, in order to identify variables that could possibly affect the incidence.

Methods

All admitted patients aged <18 years diagnosed with acute mastoiditis between 2008 and 2018 at Clalit Healthcare Services were identified and a database was generated.

Results

A total of 1189 and 1115 patients met the inclusion criteria, respectively. Acute mastoiditis diagnosis was confirmed in 95.2% of the patients. The incidence was 7.78 cases per 100,000 children-years but was significantly higher in children under 2 years of age (average of 38.31 per 100,000 children-years). No specific pattern was observed in the annualized incidence rate during the study period. Acute mastoiditis was significantly more common in children of Jewish descent than non-Jewish (10.4 vs. 3.03 per 100,000 children-years, P < 0.001) and of high socioeconomic status and is more common in the winter. The prevalence of household parental smoking (52%) was more than double that previously reported in the Israeli population.

Conclusions

A higher incidence of acute mastoiditis was observed in the Israeli population than in other reports. The age-dependent rate was identified along with unique epidemiological features such as seasonality, higher incidence in patients of Jewish descent, or high socioeconomic status. Related parental smoking habits lend further support against the exposure of young children to household smoking.Level of evidence: Individual retrospective cohort study.

A Qualitative Study of Factors Influencing Implementation of Tobacco Control in Pediatric Practices

Introduction

Clinical effort against secondhand smoke exposure (CEASE) is an evidence-based intervention that prepares child healthcare clinicians and staff with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to ask family members about tobacco use, provide brief counseling and medication assistance, and refer to free cessation services.

Aim

This study sought to identify factors that influenced the implementation of CEASE in five pediatric intervention practices in five states that participated in a cluster randomized clinical trial of the CEASE intervention.

Methods

Guided by questions from the consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR) interview guide, semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 clinicians and practice staff from five intervention practices after the practices had implemented CEASE for two years. Interviews were conducted by a trained qualitative researcher, recorded with permission, and transcribed verbatim. An interview codebook was inductively developed; two researchers used the codebook to code data. After coding, data was analyzed to identify factors, as described by the CFIR domains that influenced the implementation of CEASE.

Results

The implementation of CEASE in practices was influenced by the adaptability and complexity of the intervention, the needs of patients and their families, the resources available to practices to support the implementation of CEASE, other competing priorities at the practices, the cultures of practices, and clinicians' and office staffs' knowledge and beliefs about family-centered tobacco control.

Conclusion

Identifying and influencing certain critical factors guided by information gathered through interviews may help improve implementation and sustainability of family-centered tobacco control interventions in the future. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01882348.

Exploring stakeholder views on intervening in hospital around childhood secondhand smoke exposure (Precedent): a protocol for a qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) in childhood is linked with increased morbidity and mortality. Hospital or secondary care contact may present a 'teachable moment' to provide parents with support to change their home smoking behaviours to reduce children's SHSe. There is a lack of robust qualitative evidence around parents and healthcare professionals (HCPs) views on using this teachable moment to successfully initiate behavioural change. We aim to identify and understand what is important to stakeholders with a view to informing the development of a support package to help parents change their home smoking behaviours.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This qualitative study will be theoretically underpinned by the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) model of behavioural change. It will involve semistructured interviews and/or discussion groups with up to 20 parents who smoke and up to 25 HCPs. Stakeholders will be recruited from a single National Health Service children's hospital in England. Interviews and/or discussion groups will be audio recorded, transcribed and anonymised. The transcripts and any field notes will be analysed using the framework method. Initially, we will apply COM-B to the data deductively and will then code inductively within each domain.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The protocol for this study received a favourable outcome from the East Midlands Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee (19/EM/0171). Results will be written up as part of a PhD thesis, submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentation at conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN40084089.

A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review and Synthesis of Secondary Care Interventions to Reduce Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Children and Young People

INTRODUCTION

Childhood secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) is linked with increased morbidity and mortality. Hospital or secondary care contact presents a "teachable moment" to support parents to change their home smoking behaviors to reduce children's SHSe.

AIMS AND METHODS

This mixed-methods review explores: (1) if existing interventions in this context are effective, (2) if they are reported in sufficient detail to be replicated, (3) the experiences of health care professionals delivering such interventions, and (4) the experiences of parents receiving such interventions. Five electronic databases and the gray literature were searched for relevant literature published and indexed January 1980 to February 2020. Fourteen papers reporting 12 studies (nine quantitative and five qualitative) were included. Aligned with the Joanna Briggs Institute method, a segregated approach was used involving independent syntheses of the quantitative and qualitative data followed by an overall mixed-methods synthesis.

RESULTS

There was some evidence of effective interventions that resulted in a short-term (<6 months) reduction in children's SHSe when SHSe was subjectively measured. This was not seen in longer-term follow-up (>6 months) or when SHSe was measured objectively. Inconsistencies with reporting make replication challenging. Experiential evidence suggests a mismatch between stakeholder preferences and interventions being offered.

CONCLUSIONS

The pediatric secondary care interventions included in this analysis failed to show statistically significant evidence of longer-term effectiveness to reduce children's SHSe in all but one low-quality study. There was also inadequate reporting of interventions limiting assessment of effectiveness. It offers further insights into areas to target to develop effective interventions.

IMPLICATIONS

This review used rigorous methods to explore the current, global literature on how children's exposure to secondhand smoke is being tackled in secondary care. This review identified only one low-quality intervention study showing a statistically significant reduction in children's SHSe beyond 6 months. Synthesis with qualitative research identifies a mismatch between what parents want in an intervention and what has been delivered to date. Reporting quality needs to be improved to ensure that interventions can be replicated and studies conducted within the National Health Service to ensure suitability to this setting.

Innovations in parental smoking cessation assistance delivered in the child healthcare setting

Addressing parental smoking in the child healthcare setting improves the health of all family members. Innovative approaches, such as mobilizing technology-based platforms, may streamline screening and motivate acceptance of behavioral health services to treat tobacco use and dependence. The obective of this study was to describe innovations added to the CEASE intervention and to track 2 year post-intervention implementation data on families who were screened for tobacco use. Child healthcare practices in five states (IN, NC, OH, TN, and VA) used an electronic tablet screener to identify tobacco use within families and deliver tobacco cessation assistance to smokers. Motivational/educational videos on cessation were displayed via the screener to enhance its utility. Five CEASE intervention practices screened 50,111 family members for tobacco use and identified 6,885 families with children exposed to tobacco smoke. The mean number of screeners per practice per month was 417; the mean number of households with smokers identified per month was 57. Of 2,764 smokers who were at visits and consented, 57% indicated that they wanted a prescription to reduce or quit smoking; 94% of these were given preprinted prescriptions. Of 41% who requested connection to the quitline, 93% were given enrollment forms. Electronic screening was used to routinely identify tobacco users, leading to increased potential for offering cessation assistance to all household members who smoke. Improved delivery of smoking cessation services to families may be achieved by integrating technological innovations into routine pediatric practice. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: Trial Number NCT01882348.

Screening for Behavioral Risk Factors Is Not Enough to Improve Preventive Services Delivery

OBJECTIVE

Unhealthy behaviors are a major cause of chronic disease. Preappointment screening has been suggested as one way to improve preventive care delivery related to these behaviors by specifying risks to be addressed. We aimed to determine whether screening for health-related behaviors before the clinical encounter will lead to higher counseling rate and service delivery by clinicians.

METHODS

We used a pre/post design in one practice with a control practice to evaluate the effects of preappointment screening for 3 behavioral risk factors (tobacco smoke exposure, no recent dental care visit, and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages). After their clinic visit, we asked English-speaking parents whose child had one or more risk factor whether they had received counseling or services from their pediatrician to address them.

RESULTS

We recruited 264 parents in the pre phase and 242 in the post phase. Among 215 parents whose child had one or more risk factors, parents in the post phase were as likely to report receiving counseling than parents in the pre phase for each of the risk factors: smoking odds ratio 6.75 (95% confidence interval, 0.51, 88.88), dental health odds ratio 1.44 (95% confidence interval, 0.47, 4.41), and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption odds ratio 0.34 (95% confidence interval, 0.23, 5.18). Service delivery and reported behavior change were also similar in both phases.

CONCLUSIONS

Counseling rates for tobacco, dental health, or sugar-sweetened beverage consumption were low in pediatric primary care, and preappointment screening did not significantly affect clinician counseling. Future efforts will require a more robust approach to effect change in counseling, provision of service, and family behavior.

A Tale of Smoking Cessation Promotion: The Utilization of a Children's Book to Increase Screening and Counseling in the Pediatric Clinic

OBJECTIVES

The rate at which pediatricians promote smoking cessation in clinical settings is low. The literature demonstrates that interventions paired with tangible health promotion materials may significantly increase screening rates to the pediatric office. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the addition of a children's book in the pediatric clinic could result in an increase in the rate in which pediatricians screened for secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) and counseled caregivers to stop smoking.

STUDY DESIGN

This randomized controlled study was performed at 7 pediatric clinics.

METHODS

Seven pediatric clinic sites were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. Pediatricians in the intervention group were given children's books about SHSe to distribute to their patients while the control group did not receive any materials.

RESULTS

At baseline, there was no difference between the control group and intervention group in rates at which pediatricians screened for SHSe ( P = .8728) and counseled caregivers to stop smoking ( P = .29). After the intervention, screening for SHSe and counseling caregivers to stop smoking were statistically significantly greater in the intervention group, when compared to controls ( P < .01 and P < .001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a health promotion children's book in the pediatric setting can increase the rate at which pediatricians screen for SHSe and counsel caregivers to stop smoking. Future research should examine the effect of the storybook on various parameters of smoking cessation and future smoking behaviors.

E-Cigarette Advice to Patients From Physicians and Dentists in the United States

Purpose:

To report on adults’ recall of discussion by physicians and dentists about e-cigarettes.

Design:

A nationally representative cross-sectional survey (Internet and random digit dialing) in the United States.

Participants:

Adults who ever used e-cigarettes.

Measures:

Participant-reported discussion about the potential benefits and harms of e-cigarettes with their doctor, dentist, or child’s doctor in the past 12 months.

Analysis:

Fisher exact test for the analysis between benefits and harms for each type of provider and for rates of advice between provider types.

Results:

Among the 3030 adults who completed the survey, 523 (17.2%) had ever used e-cigarettes. Of those who had seen their doctor, dentist, or child’s doctor in the last year, 7.3%, 1.7%, and 10.1%, respectively, reported discussing potential harms of e-cigarettes. Conversely, 5.8%, 1.7%, and 9.3% of patients who had seen their doctor, dentist, or child’s doctor in the last year reported that the clinician discussed the potential benefits of e-cigarettes. Each clinician type was as likely to discuss harms as benefits. Rates of advice were similar between doctors and child’s doctors but lower for dentists. Rates were comparable when the analysis was limited to current e-cigarette users, participants with children, or those who reported using both e-cigarettes and combusted tobacco.

Conclusions:

Few physicians and dentists discuss either the harms or benefits of e-cigarettes with their patients. These data suggest an opportunity to educate, train, and provide resources for physicians and dentists about e-cigarettes and their use.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Happiness and Smoking Cessation among Parents

INTRODUCTION

Smoking cessation among adults is associated with increased happiness. This association has not been measured in parents, a subset of adults who face uniquely stressful and challenging circumstances that can affect happiness.

AIMS

To determine if parental smoking cessation is associated with increased happiness and to identify characteristics of parental quitters who experience increased happiness.

METHODS

1355 parents completed a 12-month follow-up interview from a U.S. national trial, Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE). Multivariable logistic regression examined if level of happiness was independently associated with quitting smoking and identified characteristics associated with feeling happier after quitting smoking.

RESULTS/FINDINGS

Parents' level of happiness was independently associated with quitting smoking (aOR=1.60, 95% CI=1.42-1.79). Factors associated with increased happiness among quitters include engaging in evidence-based cessation assistance (aOR=2.69, 95% CI=1.16-6.26), and adopting strictly enforced smoke-free home (aOR=2.55, 95% CI=1.19-5.48) and car (aOR=3.85, 95% CI=1.94-7.63) policies. Additionally, parents who believed that being a smoker got in the way of being a parent (aOR=5.37, 95% CI=2.61-11.07) and who believed that thirdhand smoke is harmful to children (aOR=3.28, 95% CI=1.16-9.28) were more likely to report feeling happier after quitting.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents who quit smoking reported being happier than parents who did not quit. Though prospective studies can clarify what factors cause an increase in happiness, letting pediatricians know that most parents who smoke report being happier when quitting may facilitate communication with parents around cessation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT00664261.

Tobacco Use Disorder: A Family Disease

This clinical case presentation discusses a family in which 3 generations are affected by tobacco. The discussants discuss approaches to be taken to minimize the exposure of an infant to tobacco smoke from older relatives, behavioral and pharmacological approaches to assist smoking cessation, and concerns regarding electronic cigarettes.

The Difference a Decade Makes: Smoking Cessation Counseling and Screening at Pediatric Visits

INTRODUCTION

There has been a sharp decline in adolescents who smoke cigarettes but no national-level study evaluating the impact of smoking cessation counseling by pediatricians or other clinicians who care for children.

METHODS

Combined data from ambulatory portions of the National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 1997-1999 and 2009-2011 were analyzed to determine changes in the frequency of pediatric visits that included clinician-reported tobacco counseling and how such counseling varied by child, family, and clinician characteristics.

RESULTS

In 1997-1999, 1.5% of all medical visits for children aged below 19 years included tobacco counseling; this increased to 3.8% in 2009-2011 (P < .001). A marked increase from 4.1% to 11.1% was noted at well-child visits (P < .001). There were significant increases in counseling by pediatricians but not mid-level providers or general/family physicians. Provision of counseling did not result in greater visit length during either time point. During 2009-2011, visits with a diagnosis of asthma were four times as likely (OR 4.2, 95% CI 2.8-6.2) and visits for otitis media two times as likely (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2-3.7) to include smoking cessation counseling than sick visits for all other diagnoses.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate a significant increase in tobacco counseling by pediatric providers within the last decade, especially at well-child visits. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that pediatricians counsel about the harms of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure has not yet been exhaustively implemented.

IMPLICATIONS

A significant increase in smoking cessation counseling at pediatric medical appointments, especially at well-child visits, occurred from 2009-2011 compared with 1997-1999, paralleling a large decrease in smoking prevalence. These improvements in counseling rates have been predominantly noted for pediatricians but not mid-level providers or general practitioners. Counseling was not associated with increased visit lengths. Although improved counseling practices by pediatricians have been demonstrated, there is still room for improvement.

Clinical Decision Support Tool for Parental Tobacco Treatment in Primary Care

OBJECTIVES

We created a clinical decision support (CDS) tool and evaluated its feasibility, acceptability, usability, and clinical impact within the electronic health record to help primary care pediatricians provide smoking cessation treatment to parents/caregivers who smoke.

METHODS

This prospective study of pediatric clinicians and parents was conducted at 1 urban primary care site. Clinicians received training in smoking cessation counseling, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) prescribing, referral to an adult treatment program, and use of the CDS tool. The tool prompted clinicians to ask about secondhand smoke exposure, provide an electronic NRT prescription, and refer. Feasibility was measured by using electronic health record utilization data, and acceptability and usability were assessed with the use of clinician surveys. Parents reported clinical impact, including NRT accepted and used.

RESULTS

From June to August 2015, clinicians used the tool to screen for secondhand smoke exposure at 2286 (76%) of 3023 visits. Parent smokers were identified at 308 visits, and 165 parents (55% of smokers) were interested in and offered treatment. Twenty-four (80%) of 30 eligible pediatric clinicians used the tool. Ninety-four percent of clinicians surveyed (n = 17) were satisfied with the tool, and the average system usability scale score was 83 of 100 (good to excellent range). We reached 69 of 100 parents sampled who received treatment; 44 (64%) received NRT, and 17 (25%) were currently using NRT.

CONCLUSIONS

A CDS tool to help urban primary care pediatric clinicians provide smoking cessation treatment was feasible, acceptable, usable, and influenced clinical care. A larger scale investigation in varied practice settings is warranted.

Secondhand Smoke Exposure Reduction Intervention in Chinese Households of Young Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether a theory-based, community health worker-delivered intervention for household smokers will lead to reduced secondhand smoke exposure to children in Chinese families.

METHODS

Smoking parents or caregivers who had a child aged 5 years or younger at home were randomized to the intervention group (n = 164) to receive smoking hygiene intervention or to the comparison group (n = 154). The intervention was delivered by trained community health workers. Outcomes were assessed at 2- and 6- month follow-up.

RESULTS

Of the 318 families randomized, 98 (60%) of 164 intervention group and 82 (53%) of 154 of controls completed 6-month follow-up assessment. At the 6-month follow-up, 62% of intervention and 45% of comparison group households adopted complete smoking restrictions at home (P = .022); total exposure (mean number of cigarettes per week ± standard deviation) from all smokers at home in the past 7 days was significantly lower among children in the intervention (3.29 ± 9.06) than the comparison (7.41 ± 14.63) group (P = .021); and mean urine cotinine level (ng/mL) was significantly lower in the intervention (0.030 ± .065) than the comparison (0.087 ± .027) group, P < .001). Participants rating of the overall usefulness of the intervention was 4.8 + 0.8 (1 standard deviation) on the 5 point scale (1 not at all and 5 = very useful).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this very first study in China showed that smoking hygiene intervention was effective in reducing children's exposure to secondhand smoke. These findings have implications for the development of primary health care-based secondhand smoke exposure reduction and family oriented smoking cessation interventions as China moves toward a smoke-free society.

Family Beliefs and Behaviors About Smoking and Young Children's Secondhand Smoke Exposure

INTRODUCTION

Home smoking bans (HSBs) reduce children's secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe), a contributor to health disparities. General psychosocial characteristics and SHSe beliefs and behaviors within the family may relate to HSB existence. This study's aim was to identify general psychosocial characteristics and SHSe beliefs associated with HSB presence and lower SHSe among children living with a smoker.

METHODS

Caregivers (n = 269) of Head Start preschool students (age 1-6 years) living with a smoker reported on HSBs, caregiver depressive symptoms and stress, family routines, SHSe beliefs, and household smoking characteristics. SHSe biomarkers included air nicotine in 2 areas of the home and child salivary cotinine.

RESULTS

One-quarter of families reported complete HSBs, and HSBs were more common among nonsmoking (37%) versus smoking caregivers (21%; p < .01). Perceived importance of HSBs differed between nonsmoking (9.7±1.0) versus smoking caregivers (9.1±2.0; p < .01). Smoking caregivers, more smokers in the home, and lower self-efficacy and intent to implement an HSB were consistently associated with lower likelihood of HSB existence and children's higher SHSe. Caregiver SHSe beliefs were more consistently associated with HSBs and SHSe than were general psychosocial factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite greater HSB likelihood and higher perceived importance of HSBs among nonsmoking versus smoking primary caregivers, SHSe reduction self-efficacy and intent are protective for Head Start students at high-risk for exposure. Pediatric healthcare providers and early education professionals may be able to support SHSe reduction efforts (e.g., smoking cessation, HSB implementation) and reduce children's SHSe with counseling strategies to address caregivers' HSB self-efficacy, intent, and related behaviors.

Prevalence of Parental Smoking and Predictors of Cessation: A Study in the South Carolina Pediatric Practice Research Network

BACKGROUND

Secondhand smoke exposure harms children. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure in children ≤2 years and determine the predictors of smoking and smoking cessation in parents.

METHODS

We surveyed parents of children ≤2 years of age, asking about parental smoking patterns, interest in quitting and children's respiratory symptoms. Data were analyzed with chi-square and multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Thirteen percent were current smokers and 18% had quit. The most common reason for quitting was being pregnant (42%). Children's respiratory symptoms did not predict quitting. Parents on Medicaid were more likely to smoke than those on private insurance (OR = 5.7, 95% CI = 2.0-16.5) and less likely to quit (OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1-0.9).

CONCLUSION

Having a new baby may be a motivator for parents to quit. We must address socioeconomic factors to develop a successful intervention in pediatric practices.

Growth Models of Maternal Smoking Behavior: Individual and Contextual Factors

BACKGROUND

Persistent maternal smoking during pregnancy, reduction or cessation during pregnancy, and smoking initiation or resumption postpartum impel further research to understand these behavioral patterns and opportunities for intervention.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated heterogenous longitudinal patterns of smoking quantity to determine if these patterns vary across three maternal age groups, and whether the influence of individual and contextual risk factors varies by maternal age.

METHODS

Separate general growth mixture models were estimated for mothers ages 15-25, 26-35, and 36+, allowing different empirical patterns of an ordinal measure of smoking behavior at six time points, from preconception through child entry to kindergarten.

RESULTS

We identify five classes for mothers ages 15-25, four classes for ages 26-35, and three classes for ages 36+. Each age group presents classes of nonsmokers and persistent heavy smokers. Intermediate to these ends of the spectrum, each age group exhibited its own smoking classes characterized by the extent of pregnancy smoking reductions and postpartum behavior. In all three age groups, class membership can be distinguished by individual sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Co-resident smokers predicted nearly all smoking classifications across age groups, and selected neighborhood characteristics predicted classification of younger (15-25) and older (36+) mothers.

CONCLUSIONS

The design, timing, and delivery of smoking prevention and cessation services, for women seeking to become pregnant and for women presenting for prenatal or pediatric care, are best guided by individual characteristics, particularly maternal age, preconception alcohol consumption, and postpartum depression, but neighborhood characteristics merit further attention for mothers at different ages.

Black versus white differences in rates of addressing parental tobacco use in the pediatric setting

OBJECTIVE

To examine racial differences in rates of screening parents for cigarette smoking during pediatric outpatient visits and to determine if a parental tobacco control intervention mitigates racial variation in whether cigarette smoking is addressed.

METHODS

As part of the Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) randomized controlled trial, exit interviews were conducted with parents at 10 control and 10 intervention pediatric practices nationally. Parents were asked to report if during the visit did anyone ask if they smoke cigarettes. A generalized linear mixed model was used to estimate the effect of black vs white race on asking parents about cigarette smoking.

RESULTS

Among 17,692 parents screened at the exit interview, the proportion of black parents who were current smokers (16%) was lower than the proportion of white parents who smoked (20%) (P < .001). In control group practices, black parents were more likely to be asked (adjusted risk ratio 1.23; 95% confidence interval 1.08, 1.40) about cigarette smoking by pediatricians than whites. In intervention group practices both black and white parents were more likely to be asked about smoking than those in control practices and there was no significant difference between black and white parents in the likelihood of being asked (adjusted risk ratio 1.01; 95% confidence interval 0.93, 1.09).

CONCLUSIONS

Although a smaller proportion of black parents in control practices smoked than white, black parents were more likely to be asked by pediatricians about smoking. The CEASE intervention was associated with higher levels of screening for smoking for both black and white parents.

The parent-child dyad and risk perceptions among parents who quit smoking

BACKGROUND

Most parental smokers are deeply invested in their child's health, but it is unknown what factors influence parent risk perceptions of the effects of smoking on their child's health and benefits to the child of cessation.

PURPOSE

To explore differences in former versus current smokers' beliefs about harm of continuing to smoke, benefits of quitting, and how much smoking interferes with their parenting.

METHODS

As part of a cluster RCT to increase tobacco control in the pediatric setting, we analyzed data collected at the ten control arm practices for 24 months starting in May 2010; a cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted in 2013. Parents were asked about smoking status and perceived harm, benefit, and well-being related to smoking behaviors.

RESULTS

Of the 981 enrolled smoking parents, 710 (72.4%) were contacted at 12 months. The odds of having successfully quit at 12 months was 4.12 times more likely (95% CI=1.57, 10.8) for parents who believed that quitting will benefit their children; 1.68 times more likely (95% CI=1.13, 2.51) for parents with more than a high school education; and 1.74 times greater (95% CI=1.13, 2.68) for parents with children under age 3 years. Another factor associated with having successfully quit was a prior quit attempt.

CONCLUSIONS

Providers' smoking-cessation advice and support should begin early and underscore how cessation will benefit the health and well-being of patients' children. Additionally, parents who have recently attempted to quit may be particularly primed for another attempt.

Secondhand smoke exposure assessment and counseling in the Chinese pediatric setting: a qualitative study

Background

Assisting smoking parents to quit smoking and eliminating the secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure of their children is a global health priority. Engaging healthcare workers in developing countries to address this priority has been a challenge. This study intends to explore issues around current practice related to SHS exposure assessment and counseling and identify barriers to SHS exposure reduction counseling in the Chinese pediatric setting.

Methods

We conducted qualitative interviews (11 focus groups discussions (FGDs) with pediatricians, 6 FGDs with pediatric nurses and 11 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with hospital administrators) among 101 health-care professionals (HCP) from 5 hospitals in four major cities of Guangxi Province, China. All FGDs/ IDIs were audio recorded and analysed thematically.

Results

The findings suggest that few Chinese pediatricians routinely address the SHS exposure of children in their usual practice. All HCPs felt the need for clinical interventions to promote SHS exposure reduction for children. Primary barriers to SHS exposure reduction counseling in the Chinese pediatric setting included: lack of skills and training in tobacco use reduction and cessation counseling; time constraints and heavy workloads, uncertainty about the usefulness of smoking cessation interventions and lack of hospital-wide systems requiring pediatricians to record tobacco use or SHS exposure information. Ideas for overcoming these barriers were building capacity of pediatricians, collaboration with international organization to initiate training, engaging top level leaders in the effort and ensuring financial resources to support the program.

Conclusions

This study among hospital administrators and service providers in China demonstrated a high level of interest in delivering SHS exposure reduction interventions in the pediatric setting. The findings can inform the creation and delivery of clinical interventions in China to promote SHS exposure reduction to children in the pediatric setting.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2431-14-266) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Enhancing the electronic health record to increase counseling and quit-line referral for parents who smoke

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of an electronic health record (EHR) modification and brief clinician training on tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) management in pediatric primary care.

METHODS

Within a teaching hospital-based, urban primary care setting, we modified the EHR to include TSE screening prompts, decision support, educational literature, and simplified referral to the state quit line (QuitWorks). A brief training was conducted for the 48 clinic physicians (34 residents and 14 attendings). We collected cross-sectional, independent, random samples of EHR data from well-child visits for children ≤12 years old seen 3 months before (2024 visits) and 3 months after (1895 visits) the intervention and pooled client data from QuitWorks to evaluate TSE screening, counseling, and quit-line referrals. A needs assessment questionnaire examined preintervention attitudes and practice around TSE management; follow-up questionnaires explored satisfaction and subjective changes in skills.

RESULTS

The baseline needs assessment revealed that although most clinicians agreed that it is appropriate for pediatricians to conduct TSE screening, counseling, and referral during well-child visits, only about half screened, 42% counseled, and 28% routinely offered to refer smoking parents. In pre-post analyses of 117 and 112 EHR-documented positive screens, the intervention was associated with a 16-fold greater likelihood of counseling among positive screens (adjusted odds ratio 16.12; 95% confidence interval 7.28, 35.68). Referrals to QuitWorks increased from 1 before to 31 after the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of EHR modifications and a brief training to support TSE management was associated with higher rates of counseling and quit-line referrals for parents who smoke.

Parental smoking exposure and adolescent smoking trajectories

OBJECTIVE

In a multigenerational study of smoking risk, the objective was to investigate the intergenerational transmission of smoking by examining if exposure to parental smoking and nicotine dependence predicts prospective smoking trajectories among adolescent offspring.

METHODS

Adolescents (n = 406) ages 12 to 17 and a parent completed baseline interviews (2001-2004), and adolescents completed up to 2 follow-up interviews 1 and 5 years later. Baseline interviews gathered detailed information on parental smoking history, including timing and duration, current smoking, and nicotine dependence. Adolescent smoking and nicotine dependence were assessed at each time point. Latent Class Growth Analysis identified prospective smoking trajectory classes from adolescence into young adulthood. Logistic regression was used to examine relationships between parental smoking and adolescent smoking trajectories.

RESULTS

Four adolescent smoking trajectory classes were identified: early regular smokers (6%), early experimenters (23%), late experimenters (41%), and nonsmokers (30%). Adolescents with parents who were nicotine-dependent smokers at baseline were more likely to be early regular smokers (odds ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.33) and early experimenters (odds ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.25) with each additional year of previous exposure to parental smoking. Parents' current non-nicotine-dependent and former smoking were not associated with adolescent smoking trajectories.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to parental nicotine dependence is a critical factor influencing intergenerational transmission of smoking. Adolescents with nicotine-dependent parents are susceptible to more intense smoking patterns and this risk increases with longer duration of exposure. Research is needed to optimize interventions to help nicotine-dependent parents quit smoking early in their children's lifetime to reduce these risks.

Tobacco control education in pediatric anesthesiology fellowships

BACKGROUND

Cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure (SHS) increase the risk of perioperative complications. Traditionally, anesthesiologists have limited involvement in tobacco control.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and disseminate an educational curriculum that educates pediatric anesthesia fellows in tobacco control.

METHODS

After IRB approval, an online survey was disseminated to pediatric anesthesiology fellowship directors.

RESULTS

Thirty-one surveys were completed. Most report that they ask pediatric patients about tobacco use. A majority advise their patients who smoke about the health effects of smoking, but only 40% advise children to quit, and the majority never provide educational materials to assist in smoking cessation. Half reported that they sometimes or always ask about SHS. Approximately one-third never advise about the ill effects of SHS, nearly half never advise parents to stop smoking, and the majority never provide educational material about quitting to parents. Two-thirds felt that it is their responsibility to advise pediatric patients not to smoke, but less than half felt the same sense of responsibility about advising parents not to smoke. Approximately two-thirds believe that fellowship programs should provide education about the effects of smoking in the perioperative period and the effects of SHS exposure, but few programs do. Almost all would implement a free teaching module about SHS exposure and tobacco control as part of fellowship education.

CONCLUSIONS

Many pediatric anesthesiology fellowship directors agree that exposure to cigarette smoke adversely impacts patients in the perioperative period, but few participate in tobacco control, and issues germane to tobacco control are not consistently addressed.

Triple tobacco screen: opportunity to help families become smokefree

BACKGROUND

American Academy of Pediatrics policy recommends that pediatricians document environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure of a child at every visit. The extent to which pediatricians adhere to this policy, however, is unknown.

PURPOSE

The goal of the study was to examine the extent to which pediatricians screen parents for tobacco use and home- and car-related smoking rules. Further, the potential association between factors associated with pediatrician inquiry into parental tobacco use and rules is examined.

METHODS

Post-visit exit interviews were conducted in ten pediatric practices between June 2009 and March 2011 with parents whose children had been seen by a healthcare provider. Parents were considered to have been given the "triple tobacco screen" if they reported being asked by a pediatric healthcare provider about their smoking behavior, smokefree home rules, and smokefree car rules. Bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression was done to explore factors associated with parents being given any component of the triple tobacco screening. Data were analyzed between March 2012 and February 2013.

RESULTS

Of 9145 parents interviewed, 20% of the parents reported being asked at least one question from the triple tobacco screen, and only 9% reported being asked all three questions. Overall, 17% of parents reported being asked about their smoking status, 16% about smokefree home rules, and 11% about smokefree car rules. Few smoking parents (23%) and fewer nonsmoking parents (19%) were screened about their tobacco use and behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatricians infrequently addressed ETS exposure of children among parents who do and do not smoke. Substantial missed opportunities may exist to counsel smokers and reduce ETS exposure of children in the most common exposure locations-the home and car.

Biomarker evidence of tobacco smoke exposure in children participating in lead screening

OBJECTIVES

We assessed tobacco smoke exposure (TSE), defined according to detection of cotinine, in dried blood spots collected from children for lead screening.

METHODS

Dried blood spots collected from a national sample of 1541 Black and White children and submitted to a commercial laboratory for lead analysis were analyzed for cotinine. We used an anonymous administrative data set including information on children's characteristics to conduct univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Cotinine was detected in 61% of dried blood spots; 17% of samples had cotinine levels above 3 nanograms per gram. Median cotinine levels were significantly higher among Black than White children (0.66 ng/g vs 0.30 ng/g) and among Medicaid recipients (0.94 ng/g vs < 0.3 ng/g). In multivariate analyses, significant increases in cotinine levels were associated with Black (vs White) race, older age, Medicaid coverage, higher state smoking rate, and higher average winter temperature. Detectable cotinine levels were significantly associated with higher lead levels.

CONCLUSIONS

TSE is highly prevalent among children undergoing lead screening, and exposure levels are greater among Black children and children on Medicaid. TSE may contribute to lead exposure. Concurrent lead screening and biological screening for TSE may be a feasible approach to increasing childhood TSE detection.

Kids Safe and Smokefree (KiSS): a randomized controlled trial of a multilevel intervention to reduce secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in children

BACKGROUND

Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) harms children's health, yet effective interventions to reduce child SHSe in the home and car have proven difficult to operationalize in pediatric practice. A multilevel intervention combining pediatric healthcare providers' advice with behavioral counseling and navigation to pharmacological cessation aids may improve SHSe control in pediatric populations.

METHODS/DESIGN

This trial uses a randomized, two-group design with three measurement periods: pre-intervention, end of treatment and 12-month follow-up. Smoking parents of children < 11-years-old are recruited from pediatric clinics. The clinic-level intervention includes integrating tobacco intervention guideline prompts into electronic health record screens. The prompts guide providers to ask all parents about child SHSe, advise about SHSe harms, and refer smokers to cessation resources. After receiving clinic intervention, eligible parents are randomized to receive: (a) a 3-month telephone-based behavioral counseling intervention designed to promote reduction in child SHSe, parent smoking cessation, and navigation to access nicotine replacement therapy or cessation medication or (b) an attention control nutrition education intervention. Healthcare providers and assessors are blind to group assignment. Cotinine is used to bioverify child SHSe (primary outcome) and parent quit status.

DISCUSSION

This study tests an innovative multilevel approach to reducing child SHSe. The approach is sustainable, because clinics can easily integrate the tobacco intervention prompts related to "ask, advise, and refer" guidelines into electronic health records and refer smokers to free evidence-based behavioral counseling interventions, such as state quitlines.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01745393 (clinicaltrials.gov).

A pilot study of concurrent lead and cotinine screening for childhood tobacco smoke exposure: effect on parental smoking

PURPOSE

To investigate whether a biomarker screening approach for tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) conducted concurrently with lead screening at well-child visits would increase parental smoking cessation and implementation of home smoking restrictions.

DESIGN

Observational, quasi-experimental.

SETTING

Pediatric clinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

SUBJECTS

Eighty parents who smoked and their children presenting for well-child visits.

INTERVENTION

Children in the intervention group had serum cotinine measured with lead screening. Laboratory results were sent to providers and parents and a counselor proactively contacted parents to offer an eight-session telephone intervention to help parents stop smoking. The comparison group, a historical control, received usual care.

MEASURES

Parental smoking, engagement in tobacco treatment, and home and car smoking policies 8 weeks later.

ANALYSIS

Mean/standard deviation for continuous data or frequency/percentage for categorical data.

RESULTS

Eighty-four percent of eligible parents agreed to have their child tested for TSE along with lead testing. Measurable cotinine was identified in 93% of children. More parents in the intervention group received tobacco treatment than in the comparison group (74% vs. 0%) and more parents reported 7-day point-prevalent abstinence from smoking at 8 weeks (29% vs. 3%).

CONCLUSION

These data demonstrate the feasibility of adding cotinine measurement to routine well-child lead screening to document TSE in small children. Data suggest providing this information to parents increases engagement in tobacco treatment and prompts smoking cessation.

The ONE step initiative: quality improvement in a pediatric clinic for secondhand smoke reduction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Although comprehensive smoking counseling to limit secondhand smoke (SHS) is widely endorsed, it is often not done. Published evaluations of brief and practical systems that improve screening and counseling to reduce SHS are limited. Our objective was to determine if a quality improvement activity around smoking counseling leads to changes in (1) medical assistant and pediatric provider assessment of smoking history and (2) smoking or other behaviors affecting children's SHS exposure.

METHODS

In a large urban teaching clinic we assessed the ONE Step intervention, which included the following: (1) "Ask" (medical assistant asking whether caregivers smoke); (2) "Advise" (providers advising smoking outside and quitting if ready); (3) "Refer" (providers referring to the Colorado telephone QuitLine); and (4) electronic medical record prompts and required documentation regarding smoking. Medical assistant and provider assessments of smoking were evaluated with a chart review by using a pre-/posttest design. Caregiver behavior change was evaluated with a time-series survey that included assessment at baseline and follow-up via telephone at 6 and 12 months from study entry.

RESULTS

ONE Step was associated with a statistically significant increase in Ask, Advise, and Refer documentation. Caregiver surveys showed that 97% found discussions of SHS with providers acceptable. Six- and 12-month follow-ups, respectively, showed that 14% and 13% of smokers reported quitting and that 63% and 70% of current smokers reported reduced SHS exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

ONE Step was feasible to deliver in a busy outpatient setting, acceptable to families, and appears to have resulted in decreased exposure to SHS in our pediatric population.

Implementation of a parental tobacco control intervention in pediatric practice

OBJECTIVE

To test whether routine pediatric outpatient practice can be transformed to assist parents in quitting smoking.

METHODS

Cluster RCT of 20 pediatric practices in 16 states that received either CEASE intervention or usual care. The intervention gave practices training and materials to change their care delivery systems to provide evidence-based assistance to parents who smoke. This assistance included motivational messaging; proactive referral to quitlines; and pharmacologic treatment of tobacco dependence. The primary outcome, assessed at an exit interview after an office visit,was provision of meaningful tobacco control assistance, defined as counseling beyond simple advice (discussing various strategies to quit smoking), prescription of medication, or referral to the state quitline, at that office visit.

RESULTS

Among 18 607 parents screened after their child’s office visit between June 2009 and March 2011, 3228 were eligible smokers and 1980 enrolled (999 in 10 intervention practices and 981 in 10 control practices). Practices’ mean rate of delivering meaningful assistance for parental cigarette smoking was 42.5% (range 34%–66%) in the intervention group and 3.5% (range 0%–8%) in the control group (P < .0001).Rates of enrollment in the quitline (10% vs 0%); provision of smoking cessation medication (12% vs 0%); and counseling for smoking cessation(24% vs 2%) were all higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (P < .0001 for each).

CONCLUSIONS

A system-level intervention implemented in 20 outpatient pediatric practices led to 12-fold higher rates of delivering tobacco control assistance to parents in the context of the pediatric office visit.

Distance-based training in two community health centers to address tobacco smoke exposure of children

Background

The CEASE (Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure) intervention was developed to help pediatricians routinely and effectively address the harms of family smoking behaviors. Based on paper versions of CEASE, we partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ online education department and developed a completely distance-based training, including an online CME training, handouts and education materials for families, and phone and email support.

Methods

The pediatric offices of two low income health clinics with primarily Medicaid populations were selected for the study. Pre and post intervention data by survey of the parents was collected in both practices (Practice 1 n = 470; Practice 2 n = 177). The primary outcome for this study was a comparison of rates of clinician’s asking and advising parents about smoking and smoke-free home and cars.

Results

Exit surveys of parents revealed statistically significant increases in rates of clinicians asking about parental smoking (22% vs. 41%), smoke-free rules (25% vs. 44%), and asking about other smoking household members (26% vs. 48%).

Conclusions

Through a completely distance based intervention, we were able to train pediatricians who see low income children to ask parents about smoking, smoke-free home and car rules, and whether other household members smoke. Implementing a system to routinely ask about family tobacco use and smoke-free home and car rules is a first step to effectively addressing tobacco in a pediatric office setting. By knowing which family members use tobacco, pediatricians can take the next steps to help families become completely tobacco-free.

Trial registration

Clinical trials number: NCT01087177

Parent smoker role conflict and planning to quit smoking: a cross-sectional study

Background

Role conflict can motivate behavior change. No prior studies have explored the association between parent/smoker role conflict and readiness to quit. The objective of the study is to assess the association of a measure of parent/smoker role conflict with other parent and child characteristics and to test the hypothesis that parent/smoker role conflict is associated with a parent’s intention to quit smoking in the next 30 days. As part of a cluster randomized controlled trial to address parental smoking (Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure—CEASE), research assistants completed exit interviews with 1980 parents whose children had been seen in 20 Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) practices and asked a novel identity-conflict question about “how strongly you agree or disagree” with the statement, “My being a smoker gets in the way of my being a parent.” Response choices were dichotomized as “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” versus “Disagree” or “Strongly Disagree” for the analysis. Parents were also asked whether they were “seriously planning to quit smoking in 30 days.” Chi-square and logistic regression were performed to assess the association between role conflict and other parent/children characteristics. A similar strategy was used to determine whether role conflict was independently associated with intention to quit in the next 30 days.

Methods

As part of a RTC in 20 pediatric practices, exit interviews were held with smoking parents after their child’s exam. Parents who smoked were asked questions about smoking behavior, smoke-free home and car rules, and role conflict. Role conflict was assessed with the question, “Please tell me how strongly you agree or disagree with the statement: ‘My being a smoker gets in the way of my being a parent.’ (Answer choices were: “Strongly agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree.”)

Results

Of 1980 eligible smokers identified, 1935 (97%) responded to the role-conflict question, and of those, 563 (29%) reported experiencing conflict. Factors that were significantly associated with parent/smoker role conflict in the multivariable model included: being non-Hispanic white, allowing home smoking, the child being seen that day for a sick visit, parents receiving any assistance for their smoking, and planning to quit in the next 30 days. In a separate multivariable logistic regression model, parent/smoker role conflict was independently associated with intention to quit in the next 30 days [AOR 2.25 (95% CI 1.80-2.18)].

Conclusion

This study demonstrated an association between parent/smoker role conflict and readiness to quit. Interventions that increase parent/smoker role conflict might act to increase readiness to quit among parents who smoke.

Trial registration

Clinical trial registration number: NCT00664261.

Factors associated with parents&#8217; perceptions of parental smoking in the presence of children and its consequences on children

Parental smoking is the major source of children’s secondhand smoke exposure and is influenced by parents’ perception of children’s exposure. However, the factors associated with these perceptions remain unclear. The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with parents’ perceptions about parental smoking in the presence of children and its consequences. We conducted a cross-sectional study on parents’ perceptions of parental smoking and measured their evaluations of its consequences using a self-report questionnaire. Other variables include socio-demographic characteristics and smoking-related experience. Results show that parents’ gender, education level, occupational type, smoking status, and agreement on a home smoking ban independently predict parents’ evaluation of the consequences of parental smoking in the presence of children. Parents’ gender, education level, annual family income, smoking status, agreement on a home smoking ban, and evaluation of the consequences of parental smoking independently predicted parents’ perceptions. Findings indicated that a specific group expressed greater acceptance of parental smoking and was less aware of its risks. Motivating parents to create a smoke-free home and increasing awareness of the adverse consequences of parental smoking is beneficial in reinforcing attitudes opposed to parental smoking.

Parents smoking in their cars with children present

OBJECTIVE

To determine prevalence and factors associated with strictly enforced smoke-free car policies among smoking parents.

METHODS

As part of a cluster, randomized controlled trial addressing parental smoking, exit interviews were conducted with parents whose children were seen in 10 control pediatric practices. Parents who smoked were asked about smoking behaviors in their car and receipt of smoke-free car advice at the visit. Parents were considered to have a "strictly enforced smoke-free car policy" if they reported having a smoke-free car policy and nobody had smoked in their car within the past 3 months.

RESULTS

Of 981 smoking parents, 817 (83%) had a car; of these, 795 parents answered questions about their car smoking policy. Of these 795 parents, 29% reported having a smoke-free car policy, and 24% had a strictly enforced smoke-free car policy. Of the 562 parents without a smoke-free car policy, 48% reported that smoking occurred with children present. Few parents who smoke (12%) were advised to have a smoke-free car. Multivariable logistic regression controlling for parent age, gender, education, and race showed that having a younger child and smoking ≤10 cigarettes per day were associated with having a strictly enforced smoke-free car policy.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of smoking parents exposed their children to tobacco smoke in cars. Coupled with the finding of low rates of pediatricians addressing smoking in cars, this study highlights the need for improved pediatric interventions, public health campaigns, and policies regarding smoke-free car laws to protect children from tobacco smoke.

Parental psychosocial predictors of secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) for children with cancer

Children with cancer are at greater risk for the negative consequences of secondhand smoke exposure, making the identification of predictors of exposure critical. The current study investigated the impact of parents' psychosocial variables (perceived stress and vulnerability, self-efficacy), as well as health-related and demographic variables, on children's current exposure levels. Data were from 135 families whose children (M = 8.6 years old) lived with a smoker and were being treated for cancer. Self-efficacy was the consistent significant psychosocial predictor of exposure and the time since a child's diagnosis was indicative of lower exposure when limiting the sample to only smoking parents (n = 95). Both predictors of exposure have implications on motivation for behavioral change and may be suggestive of a teachable moment. Interventions may profit from tailoring programs to families based on these predictors of exposure, in particular for tobacco-based interventions for parents of medically compromised children, such as children with cancer.

Cigarette smoking among adolescents with type 1 diabetes: strategies for behavioral prevention and intervention

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. and preventing smoking initiation among adolescents is a public health priority and a central element of comprehensive tobacco control. While cigarette smoking is harmful to all youths, those with special healthcare needs are particularly vulnerable to the negative health consequences of smoking, and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) urgently stand out as a high-risk group. Available literature suggests the prevalence and risk factors for smoking among adolescents with T1D are strikingly similar to the general population. Moreover, smoking negatively affects T1D management and increases risk for and progression of adverse health outcomes related to T1D. Adolescents with T1D are also influenced by disease-related social and behavioral factors that affect decisions about smoking. Pediatric health care providers (HCPs) are optimally-positioned to screen and counsel adolescents with T1D to avoid smoking, as they have well-established relationships with young patients and regularly scheduled visits surrounding T1D management. However, several barriers inhibit HCPs from screening/counseling adolescents with T1D for smoking on a regular basis. Well-established strategies for behavioral counseling for smoking in the healthcare setting may be effective to prevent and reduce smoking among adolescents with T1D. HCPs who care for these young patients can tailor proven counseling approaches to the context of T1D to address smoking alongside other behavioral factors that are central to disease management. Empirical research is also needed to inform the development and deployment of healthcare-based interventions and maximize their impact within this population.

A randomized trial of air cleaners and a health coach to improve indoor air quality for inner-city children with asthma and secondhand smoke exposure

OBJECTIVE

To test an air cleaner and health coach intervention to reduce secondhand smoke exposure compared with air cleaners alone or no air cleaners in reducing particulate matter (PM), air nicotine, and urine cotinine concentrations and increasing symptom-free days in children with asthma residing with a smoker.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial, with randomization embedded in study database.

SETTINGS

The Johns Hopkins Hospital Children's Center and homes of children.

PARTICIPANTS

Children with asthma, residing with a smoker, randomly assigned to interventions consisting of air cleaners only (n = 41), air cleaners plus a health coach (n = 41), or delayed air cleaner (control) (n = 44).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Changes in PM, air nicotine, and urine cotinine concentrations and symptom-free days during the 6-month study.

RESULTS

The overall follow-up rate was high (91.3%). Changes in mean fine and coarse PM (PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10)) concentrations (baseline to 6 months) were significantly lower in both air cleaner groups compared with the control group (mean differences for PM(2.5) concentrations: control, 3.5 μg/m(3); air cleaner only, -19.9 μg/m(3); and air cleaner plus health coach, -16.1 μg/m(3); P = .003; and PM(2.5-10) concentrations: control, 2.4 μg/m(3); air cleaner only, -8.7 μg/m(3); and air cleaner plus health coach, -10.6 μg/m(3); P = .02). No differences were noted in air nicotine or urine cotinine concentrations. The health coach provided no additional reduction in PM concentrations. Symptom-free days were significantly increased [corrected] in both air cleaner groups compared with the control group (P = .03).

CONCLUSION

Although the use of air cleaners can result in a significant reduction in indoor PM concentrations and a significant increase in symptom-free days, it is not enough to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke.

Household smoking behavior: effects on indoor air quality and health of urban children with asthma

The goal of the study was to examine the association between biomarkers and environmental measures of second hand smoke (SHS) with caregiver, i.e. parent or legal guardian, report of household smoking behavior and morbidity measures among children with asthma. Baseline data were drawn from a longitudinal intervention for 126 inner city children with asthma, residing with a smoker. Most children met criteria for moderate to severe persistent asthma (63%) versus mild intermittent (20%) or mild persistent (17%). Household smoking behavior and asthma morbidity were compared with child urine cotinine and indoor measures of air quality including fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) and air nicotine (AN). Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon rank-sum and Spearman rho correlation tests were used to determine the level of association between biomarkers of SHS exposure and household smoking behavior and asthma morbidity. Most children had uncontrolled asthma (62%). The primary household smoker was the child's caregiver (86/126, 68%) of which 66 (77%) were the child's mother. Significantly higher mean PM(2.5), AN and cotinine concentrations were detected in households where the caregiver was the smoker (caregiver smoker: PM(2.5) μg/m(3): 44.16, AN: 1.79 μg/m(3), cotinine: 27.39 ng/ml; caregiver non-smoker: PM(2.5): 28.88 μg/m(3), AN: 0.71 μg/m(3), cotinine:10.78 ng/ml, all P ≤ 0.01). Urine cotinine concentrations trended higher in children who reported 5 or more symptom days within the past 2 weeks (>5 days/past 2 weeks, cotinine: 28.1 ng/ml vs. <5 days/past 2 weeks, cotinine: 16.2 ng/ml; P = 0.08). However, environmental measures of SHS exposures were not associated with asthma symptoms. Urban children with persistent asthma, residing with a smoker are exposed to high levels of SHS predominantly from their primary caregiver. Because cotinine was more strongly associated with asthma symptoms than environmental measures of SHS exposure and is independent of the site of exposure, it remains the gold standard for SHS exposure assessment in children with asthma.

Medicaid expenditures for children living with smokers

Background

Children's exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with increased morbidity. We estimated Medicaid expenditures for children living with smokers compared to those living with no smokers in the United States.

Methods

Data were overall and service-specific (i.e., inpatient, ambulatory, emergency department, prescription drug, and dental) annual Medicaid expenditures for children 0-11 years old from the 2000-2007 Medical Expenditures Panel Surveys. Smokers' presence in households was determined by adult respondents' self reports. There were 25,835 person-years of observation. We used multivariate analyses to adjust for child, parent, and geographic characteristics.

Results

Children with Medicaid expenditures were nearly twice as likely to live with a smoker as other children in the U.S. population. Adjusted analyses revealed no detectable differences in children's overall Medicaid expenditures by presence of smokers in the household. Medicaid children who lived with smokers on average had $10 (95% CI $3, $18) higher emergency department expenditures per year than those living with no smokers.

Conclusions

Living with at least one smoker (a proxy for secondhand smoke exposure) is unrelated to children's overall short-term Medicaid expenditures, but has a modest impact on emergency department expenditures. Additional research is necessary to understand the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and long-term health and economic outcomes.

A cross-sectional survey of the prevalence of environmental tobacco smoke preventive care provision by child health services in Australia

Background

Despite the need for a reduction in levels of childhood exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) being a recognised public health goal, the delivery of ETS preventive care in child health service settings remains a largely unstudied area. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of ETS preventive care in child health services; differences in the provision of care by type of service; the prevalence of strategies to support such care; and the association between care support strategies and care provision.

Method

One-hundred and fifty-one (83%) child health service managers within New South Wales, Australia completed a questionnaire in 2002 regarding the: assessment of parental smoking and child ETS exposure; the provision of parental smoking cessation and ETS-exposure reduction advice; and strategies used to support the provision of such care. Child health services were categorised based on their size and case-mix, and a chi-square analysis was performed to compare the prevalence of ETS risk assessment and ETS prevention advice between service types. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between the existence of care support strategies and the provision of ETS risk assessment and ETS exposure prevention advice.

Results

A significant proportion of services reported that they did not assess parental smoking status (26%), and reported that they did not assess the ETS exposure (78%) of any child. Forty four percent of services reported that they did not provide smoking cessation advice and 20% reported they did not provide ETS exposure prevention advice. Community based child and family health services reported a greater prevalence of ETS preventive care compared to other hospital based units. Less than half of the services reported having strategies to support the provision of ETS preventive care. The existence of such support strategies was associated with greater odds of care provision.

Conclusions

The existence of major gaps in recommended ETS preventive care provision suggests a need for additional initiatives to increase such care delivery. The low prevalence of strategies that support such care delivery suggests a potential avenue to achieve this outcome.

Smoking cessation counseling for parents during child hospitalization: a national survey of pediatric nurses

OBJECTIVE

Given the central role played by pediatric nurses in intake assessment, discharge planning, and education for families of hospitalized pediatric patients, a child's hospitalization may provide a unique opportunity for counseling parents about smoking. We sought to determine if hospital policies can support nurses in effectively counseling parents about smoking.

DESIGN AND SAMPLE

We conducted a national survey of pediatric staff nurses and administrators/educators who were members of the Society of Pediatric Nurses in 2008 (n=888) to explore counseling practices for tobacco control.

MEASURES

Questionnaires included data on demographics, personal and work environment characteristics, hospital policy characteristics, work attitudes and barriers and the main outcome--5As for smoking cessation counseling--Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange.

RESULTS

Overall, routine screening for household smokers was most common (43%), followed by advice to quit (25%), assessing willingness to quit (19%), assisting with a quit plan (6%), and arranging follow-up contact (3%). Nurses working in hospitals with admission assessments specifically asking about household members who smoke were 7 times more likely than those without such assessments to routinely ask about smoking (OR: 7.2, 95% CI: 4.9-10.5).

CONCLUSION

Future research should test the efficacy of developing comprehensive hospital-wide policies to deliver smoking cessation for parents during a child's hospitalization.

Smoking status in parents of children hospitalized with a diagnosis of respiratory system disorders

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the statuses of hospitalized children with diagnosis of respiratory tract disease with cigarette use in the parents. This descriptive study was conducted in a Gowerment Hospital in the Sakarya city center in Turkey between June 2007 and June 2008. The inclusion criterion was willingness of families with children hospitalized due to diagnosis of respiratory disease to participate in the study. Data were collected from 345 parents using the questionnaire prepared by researchers. In our study parental smoking was observed in 42.3% of fathers, 7.8% mothers and for 20.9% both parents were smoking. It was found that the hospitalization rates were more than two times higher in children diagnosed with pneumonia and bronchitis and three times higher in children hospitalized for asthma whose parents smoke at home compared to those whose parents are non-smokers. Health care professionals who take care of children need to discuss the harmful effects of smoking and the importance of reducing childhood exposure to secondhand smoke; parents should be educated and encouraged not to smoke.

Incident smoking during pregnancy and the postpartum period in a low-income urban population

OBJECTIVES

We determined the prevalence of first lifetime use of cigarettes during pregnancy or in the early postpartum period (incident smoking) and identified sociodemographic and health-related characteristics of incident smokers.

METHODS

We used statistics based on data from a longitudinal study of a large cohort of pregnant, low-income, urban women (n = 1,676) to describe the timing of first-time use and to compare incident smokers with those who had never smoked and those who had already smoked prior to pregnancy.

RESULTS

About one in 10 (10.2%) women who had not previously smoked initiated cigarette smoking during pregnancy or in the early postpartum period. Compared with those who had never smoked, incident smokers were more likely to report high levels of stress and to have elevated levels of depressive symptomatology, which may be rooted in relatively poor social and economic conditions.

CONCLUSION

A significant number of women may be initiating smoking during pregnancy or in the early postpartum period. These women have characteristics that are consistent with the risk factors associated with smoking. Further research is warranted to determine prevalence in other populations, identify the risk factors for incident smoking, and assess the potential for primary prevention efforts designed to help women who had previously avoided cigarette use to remain smoke-free throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period.

Indoor air pollution and asthma in children

The purpose of this article is to review indoor air pollution factors that can modify asthma severity, particularly in inner-city environments. While there is a large literature linking ambient air pollution and asthma morbidity, less is known about the impact of indoor air pollution on asthma. Concentrating on the indoor environments is particularly important for children, since they can spend as much as 90% of their time indoors. This review focuses on studies conducted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment as well as other relevant epidemiologic studies. Analysis of exposure outcome relationships in the published literature demonstrates the importance of evaluating indoor home environmental air pollution sources as risk factors for asthma morbidity. Important indoor air pollution determinants of asthma morbidity in urban environments include particulate matter (particularly the coarse fraction), nitrogen dioxide, and airborne mouse allergen exposure. Avoidance of harmful environmental exposures is a key component of national and international guideline recommendations for management of asthma. This literature suggests that modifying the indoor environment to reduce particulate matter, NO(2), and mouse allergen may be an important asthma management strategy. More research documenting effectiveness of interventions to reduce those exposures and improve asthma outcomes is needed.

From the American Academy of Pediatrics: Policy statement--Tobacco use: a pediatric disease

Tobacco use and secondhand tobacco-smoke (SHS) exposure are major national and international health concerns. Pediatricians and other clinicians who care for children are uniquely positioned to assist patients and families with tobacco-use prevention and treatment. Understanding the nature and extent of tobacco use and SHS exposure is an essential first step toward the goal of eliminating tobacco use and its consequences in the pediatric population. The next steps include counseling patients and family members to avoid SHS exposures or cease tobacco use; advocacy for policies that protect children from SHS exposure; and elimination of tobacco use in the media, public places, and homes. Three overarching principles of this policy can be identified: (1) there is no safe way to use tobacco; (2) there is no safe level or duration of exposure to SHS; and (3) the financial and political power of individuals, organizations, and government should be used to support tobacco control. Pediatricians are advised not to smoke or use tobacco; to make their homes, cars, and workplaces tobacco free; to consider tobacco control when making personal and professional decisions; to support and advocate for comprehensive tobacco control; and to advise parents and patients not to start using tobacco or to quit if they are already using tobacco. Prohibiting both tobacco advertising and the use of tobacco products in the media is recommended. Recommendations for eliminating SHS exposure and reducing tobacco use include attaining universal (1) smoke-free home, car, school, work, and play environments, both inside and outside, (2) treatment of tobacco use and dependence through employer, insurance, state, and federal supports, (3) implementation and enforcement of evidence-based tobacco-control measures in local, state, national, and international jurisdictions, and (4) financial and systems support for training in and research of effective ways to prevent and treat tobacco use and SHS exposure. Pediatricians, their staff and colleagues, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have key responsibilities in tobacco control to promote the health of children, adolescents, and young adults.