Pilot Study Results from a Brief Intervention to Create Smoke-Free Homes

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Michelle C Kegler, Emory University; Ngoc Cam Escoffery, Emory University; Lucja Bundy, Emory University; Carla Berg, Emory University; Regine Haardoerfer, Emory University; Debbie Yembra, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2012
• Publisher: Hindawi Publishing Corporation
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2012 Michelle C. Kegler et al.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Environmental and Public Health
• ISSN: 1687-9805
• Volume: 2012
• Grant/Funding Information: This paper was also supported by Grant no. U01CA154282 from the National Cancer Institute.; This paper was supported by Cooperative Agreement no. 5U48DP001909, SIP 009 Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Psychology, Behavioral

Abstract

Very few community-based intervention studies have examined how to effectively increase the adoption of smoke-free homes. A pilot study was conducted to test the feasibility, acceptability, and short-term outcomes of a brief, four-component intervention for promoting smoke-free home policies among low-income households. We recruited forty participants (20 smokers and 20 nonsmokers) to receive the intervention at two-week intervals. The design was a pretest-posttest with follow-up at two weeks after intervention. The primary outcome measure was self-reported presence of a total home smoking ban. At follow-up, 78% of participants reported having tried to establish a smoke-free rule in their home, with significantly more nonsmokers attempting a smoke-free home than smokers (P = .03). These attempts led to increased smoking restrictions, that is, going from no ban to a partial or total ban, or from a partial to a total ban, in 43% of the homes. At follow-up, 33% of the participants reported having made their home totally smoke-free. Additionally, smokers reported smoking fewer cigarettes per day. Results suggest that the intervention is promising and warrants a rigorous efficacy trial.