Leena Sankla Director of Public Health Services, Solutions4Health, Reading
Abstract
Although on the decline, smoking in pregnancy still remains a major concern for Public Health with around 13.3% of women smoking in pregnancy in England in 2013. Not only are the mother and her unborn child at risk of developing resultant health inequalities, but the cost of treating such health concerns also creates an economic and financial burden on the NHS.
Often key factors which young smokers identify as holding them back from quitting smoking is low self esteem related to a lack of belief in their own self-efficacy. Therefore, in 2012 Solutions4health were commissioned to provide an effective and innovative intervention for pregnant smokers in Wirral with the following objectives:
Increase the number of pregnant smokers quitting smoking through pregnancy and two months post partum.
Increase the knowledge of pregnant women who smoke about healthy weight issues and raise awareness of the local weight management services.
Increase self esteem of pregnant women who smoke using a recognised measuring tool such as the Rosenberg self esteem scale.
Increase awareness and referrals to other appropriate lifestyle services such as sexual health and drugs and alcohol where a need is identified.
The MeTime 12 week integrated programme is very different to traditional stop smoking services and places a strong emphasis on raising self-esteem through not only smoking cessation but also through delivering a range of holistic therapies such as reflexology, cookery classes and exercise tasters. We have eliminated attendance boundaries through hiring a driver to bring women to and from groups should they not be able to find their own transport, offering creche places to other childrens and home visits if they are unable or do not want to attend the groups. This has worked to make the groups more accessible and maintained course adherence rates. Incentive vouchers are also offered when the women reach 4, 8 & 12 weeks Smokefree. This has worked to maintain a high CO Verification rate of 87% in 2012/13 and 95% in 2013/14.
From the 112 clients who registered with our service from April 2012 - April 2013 sixty three (56%) became successful 4 week quitters and forty six (42%) then went on to become 12 week quitters, which is significantly higher than traditional stop smoking services. Furthermore, Seventy three percent of the 112 sign ups resided in the 20% most deprived postcodes on Wirral.
