Online Program

285876
Exploration of prisoners' attitudes and experiences of cigarette smoking in the presence of children and pregnant women


Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Donna R. Parker, ScD, Brown University Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, RI
Jennifer Clarke, MD, MPH, Department of Medicine and OB/GYN, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Pawtucket, RI
Beth Bock, PhD, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI
Peter D. Friedman, MD, MPH, Division of General Internal Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI
Rosemarie Martin, PhD, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Social Sciences, Program in Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI
Stephen Martin, MD, EdM, Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
L. A. R. Stein, University of Rhode Island, Department of Psychology, Cancer Prevention Research Center, Kingston, RI
Jacob van den Berg, PhD, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI
Ryan Lantini, Brown University Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, RI
Background: The prevalence of smoking among incarcerated adults is over three times that of the general population. Although tobacco smoke exposure is a known public health problem, there is limited research on the attitudes and experiences of incarcerated adults regarding their smoking around children and pregnant women which is the focus of the present study. Methods: 247 incarcerated male and female adults were recruited eight weeks prior to release to participate in the Project WISE smoking relapse prevention clinical trial. Baseline surveys included 14 questions regarding behaviors and attitudes toward cigarette smoking in the presence of children and pregnant women. Results: Almost two-thirds of participants reported that they never or infrequently smoked around children. Exploratory principal component analyses were performed and revealed four factors: 1) smoking in the presence of children and concern for their health, 2) smoking restrictions in the home, 3) risks of smoke exposure to pregnant women and the fetus; and 4) importance of not smoking around pregnant women and quitting smoking. Chronbach's alphas ranged from 0.64 to 0.84. Results demonstrated construct, discriminant and predictive validity of the factors. Conclusions: Our results suggest that meaningful constructs were derived regarding prisoners' attitudes and smoking experiences in the presence of children and pregnant women although further investigation is required. Additionally, individuals who continue to smoke around pregnant women and children require education regarding the adverse health effects related to tobacco smoke exposure.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe incarcerated adults attitudes and experiences regarding their smoking around children and pregnant women.

Keyword(s): Smoking Cessation, Children

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-investigator of federally funded grants focusing on smoking cessation/relapse prevention for a number of different populations. I have been involved in the study and development and submission of manuscripts for the Wise study.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.