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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Wendy L. Hellerstedt, MPH, PhD¹, Deborah Hennrikus, PhD¹, Phyllis Pirie, PhD², Harry Lando, PhD¹, and Caroline Dunn, PhD³. (1) Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 S 2nd St., Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, 612-626-2077, hellerstedt@epi.umn.edu, (2) Health Behavior and Health Promotion, Ohio State University, 452 Cunz Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, (3) Minnesota Department of Health, 121 E 7th Place, Saint Paul, MN 55164

The associations of pregnancy satisfaction with intentions and attitudes about perinatal smoking were assessed in a sample of 103 pregnant WIC clients who were current or recent smokers. There were two independent variables in multivariable logistic regression analyses: a standard measure of pregnancy timing (“intention) and a measure of happiness about the pregnancy. Other variables in the analyses were presence of a partner in the home, and self-reported anxiety, depression, and hostility. The five dichotomous outcomes were: intent to quit smoking within 30 days, high confidence in ability to quit, high confidence about permanent cessation, personal goal to be abstinent postpartum, and perceived likelihood of smoking within six months postpartum. Pregnancy happiness was negatively correlated with measures of anxiety, depression, and hostility and weakly correlated with intention. Women with unwanted pregnancies, compared to those with intended pregnancies, were less likely to report an intention to quit (95% CI= 0.05, 0.9) and less likely to report a goal to be abstinent postpartum (95% CI=0.04, 0.6). Women who reported mid- and high degrees of hostility, compared with those who reported low hostility, were significantly less confident that they could quit, less likely to report a goal of postpartum abstinence, and more likely to report they would smoke within six months postpartum. Self-reported happiness about the pregnancy was not associated with any measures of perinatal smoking attitudes or intentions. These data suggest that women with unwanted pregnancies may not be prepared, or motivated, to engage in prenatal health behavior change.

Learning Objectives:

After the session participants will be able to
• Evaluate how measures of pregnancy feelings and attitudes could be associated with intention to, or confidence about, prenatal and postpartum smoking cessation
• Understand how measures of intentions to, and confidence about, perinatal smoking cessation and abstinence may be associated with psychological functioning

Keywords: Prenatal Interventions, Smoking Cessation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered