Smoke free homes in Leeds and Lahore: an experience of shared learning
Nisreen Alwan, Specialist Registrar in Public Health, NHS Leeds, Centre for Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Leeds, UK

Abstract
Children’s exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) leads to many adverse heath outcomes. We carried out two linked demonstration projects; one in a deprived locality of Leeds, UK with a sizeable population of Pakistani origin, and the other in Lahore, Pakistan. The aim was to reduce the exposure of children to SHS in their homes, and to share learning between the two communities with common ancestral origin.

Smoke Free Homes is designed to encourage people to formally sign a ‘contract’ to keep their homes smoke free. It consists of school-based activities; training health and community workers; educational resources for families; and community-based events. The above components were designed, developed and implemented jointly by a team of health professionals, schoolteachers and community leaders from Leeds and Lahore.

The project was evaluated using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. These included baseline and post-project household surveys, follow up of SFH promise forms and focus group discussions. Smoking in the presence of children had more than halved in households with at least one smoker (42% at baseline, 20% at six months). The proportion of all surveyed households reporting being completely smoke free increased from 35% at baseline to 67% at six months.