The fluidity of home smoking rules in disadvantaged households: the need to address risk perceptions and rationalisations

Authors:
Laura Jones, Olesya Atkinson and Ann McNeill

Presenter:
Laura Jones
Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, Nottingham University, Nottingham City Hospital, UK

Abstract
In the UK, five million children are regularly exposed to second-hand-smoke (SHS) at home, with close to half of all children living in a household with a smoker. One of the most effective ways to reduce SHS exposure in children is to encourage caregivers to make their homes smoke-free, however, this may require substantial behaviour change. To explore the motivators and barriers to achieving smoke-free homes, 22 disadvantaged smoking caregivers who were accessing Nottingham Children’s Centres were interviewed. Caregivers had some general knowledge of the dangers of SHS, but few could identify a link with specific disease outcomes. All interviewees described rules around smoking in the home, with the majority restricting smoking to a single room, however, these rules tended to be transient and fluid, varying with life events. Caregivers rationalised relaxing their rules, with reference to barriers such as an unwillingness to smoke outside in bad weather, the desire or need to smoke whilst caring for children, a lack of autonomy in enforcing rules and home space restrictions; continued exposure was seen as a lesser evil. Practitioners can explore and address these personal conflicts and risk perceptions when supporting behaviour change for caregivers who smoke in the home.

Source of funding: UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies (UKCTCS)

Declaration of interest: none

About the presenter
Dr Laura Jones is a Research Fellow in the Division of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Nottingham. Her current qualitative fellowship is funded by the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies (UKCTCS) and aims to develop an intervention to reduce children’s domestic exposure to second-hand smoke. Prior to her appointment in Nottingham, Laura worked as a Research Associate at Loughborough University, where she gained her PhD in adolescent health in July 2008.