Oral

This session looks at maternal and child health issues in tobacco control. Collaboration among medical disciplines can be an effective strategy to promote policy and advocacy change with regard to tobacco prevention and cessation. Physicians are natural advocates for patients and families; however, many lack the proper training to effectively support collaborative multidisciplinary advocacy efforts. Low-income U.S mothers have high smoking and low breastfeeding rates. Smoking is most prevalent among non-Hispanic white and black mothers. Although breastfeeding's benefits for infants whose mothers smoke outweigh risks of tobacco exposure through breast milk, these mothers may believe that breastfeeding is unsafe. Maryland WIC's 2007 database provided information for 14687 non-Hispanic black and white mothers with household incomes below 180% of the poverty line who registered that year. In 2007, the TIPS program was funded to reduce pregnancy smoke exposure in Northeast Tennessee. Previous research has found women receiving abortions are at increased risk for subsequent tobacco use. However, the literature on this topic is rife with methodological problems, mainly inappropriate comparison groups. This study uses data from the UCSF Turnaway Study, a prospective, longitudinal study of women who sought, but did not necessarily receive abortions at 30 sites across the U.S.

Session Objectives: 1. Identify at least two qualities physicians bring to strengthening advocacy campaigns and partnerships. 2. Compare infant feeding patterns between low-income mothers who smoke and those who do not. 3. Explain the components of the successful Tennessee Intervention for Pregnant Smokers Program. 4. Describe the lack of association between receipt of abortion and subsequent tobacco use.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)