Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118121

Srinivas Puvvada, MHP, National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, Institute of Tertiary Tutors Ltd, 4-6 Chancery Lane, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, 1-868-734-8592, srinip7@yahoo.com

Women who smoke during pregnancy, are at increased risk of spontaneous abortions (miscarriage), prematurely, prenatal death and reduced birth-weight. Smoking cessation is the most important action a woman can take to improve the outcome of her pregnancy and health of mothers and children.

The aim is to review different smoking cessation programs for pregnant women of deprived/vulnerable groups in terms of socioeconomic status, viz. African American women and to identify effective and successful smoking cessation programs for implementation during their pregnancy.

The provision of advice by physicians has been found to have a positive effect on smoking cessation rates. Nurse initiated advice is considered a front line therapy and interventions using multiple providers from different disciplines were markedly effective.

A brief cessation counseling session of 5-15 minutes, delivered by a trained provider with the provision of pregnancy specific, self help materials, significantly increases rates of cessation among pregnant smokers. A previous meta-evaluation has found that this low intensity intervention achieves a modest but clinically significant effect on cessation rates.

A “Best Practice” example has been developed using the Smoking Cessation or Reduction in Pregnancy Treatment (SCRIPT) Model. The ten health education procedures from the model to be provided by maternity care staff to all smoking patients.

RESULT: Best methods for smoking cessation for pregnant women of vulnerable groups are: patient education and counseling session of 5-15 minutes of health education procedures that are based on the clinical practice model SCRIPT.

Learning Objectives:

• The effect of tobacco use during pregnancy
• Importance of smoking cessation for pregnant women
• Methods for smoking cessation and successful method

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Vulnerable Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.