Sara-Ann Steber, MSS, MLSP, Center for Mental Health Policy & Services Research, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market St. Room 3011, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (215) 662-2886, ssteber@mail.med.upenn.edu, Lani Nelson-Zlupko, PhD, Consultant, 9 Weldin Park Dr., Willmington, DE 19803, and Sharon L. Drummond, PhD, Community Prevention Partnership of Berks County, Inc, 227 North Fifth Street, Reading, PA 19601.

The risks of smoking are well documented for pregnant women. The risk of secondhand smoke for infants and children is also well documented. The importance of this study is to identify the protective factors that keep teens from smoking during pregnancy and after the birth of their children. A recent study of pregnant and parenting teens reported smoking rates among program participants as high as 55% at one site. The study included the use of a common protocol across sites implemented at 4 points, baseline, 6-months, 12-months and 18-months to 2,338 pregnant or parenting teens. Among the study participants, 49.6% were non-smokers (never took a puff), 13.7% were experimental smokers (reported smoking once or twice but not in consecutive time periods) and 36.6% reported smoking at three or more study points.

Preliminary analysis indicates that there are significant differences in risk and protective factors between smokers, non-smokers and experimenters such as use of alcohol or marijuana, attitudes about tobacco use, spirituality, the practice of safe sex, the amount of free time spent with their baby and the degree of risk/stress felt in their neighborhood. This paper will present 18-month results examining the factors influencing smoking among this population. Policy and program implications and additional research needs will be discussed.

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