Reduction of secondhand smoke exposure among healthy infants in Iran: randomized controlled trial
Azam Baheiraei1, Roghieh Kharaghani, Afshin Mohsenifar
1Department of Reproductive Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. baheiraei@tums.ac.ir
Insights
Parental counseling significantly reduced infant exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS). This intervention lowered infant cotinine levels and parental smoking near children, promoting smoke-free homes.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Infant exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is a significant health concern.
- Previous interventions have focused on individual counseling, but the impact of counseling both parents is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of counseling both mothers and fathers in reducing their infants' exposure to SHS.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 130 infants under 1 year old exposed to parental smoking.
- Intervention group received counseling for both parents; control group received usual care.
- Infant urinary cotinine levels and parental smoking behaviors were assessed at baseline and 3-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- The intervention significantly reduced infant urinary cotinine levels (p = .029).
- A statistically significant decrease in daily cigarette consumption in the presence of the child was observed in the intervention group (p = .03).
- Home-smoking bans significantly improved in the intervention group (p = .049), though car-smoking bans did not reach significance.
Conclusions:
- Counseling strategies, when applied to both parents, can effectively reduce infant exposure to SHS.
- The findings suggest the generalizability of such interventions in reducing environmental tobacco smoke exposure for infants.
Introduction:
The objective of this study was to assess whether counseling both mothers and fathers reduces their infants' exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS).
Methods:
Participants were 130 nonsmoking children aged less than 1 year, exposed to their fathers' or mothers' smoking, and recruited from a health center in southern Tehran. Eligible families were randomly assigned to intervention or control group. Infant urine samples were collected, and parents were interviewed at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up in each of the 2 groups. Mothers of the intervention group were provided 3 counseling sessions, one of which was face to face and 2 of which were by telephone. Fathers were provided 3 counseling sessions by telephone. Parents were also given an educational pamphlet and a sticker depicting a smoke-free home. The control group received usual care. Changes in infant urinary cotinine levels, parental cigarette consumption in the presence of the child, and home- and car-smoking bans were assessed.
Results:
The intervention was effective in reducing infant urinary cotinine levels (1-tailed p = .029). There was a greater decrease in the total daily cigarette consumption in the presence of the child in the intervention group compared with the control group, and the differences between the 2 groups were statistically significant (1-tailed p = .03). While the differences between home-smoking bans in the 2 groups were statistically significant (1-tailed p = .049), the differences between car-smoking bans did not reach significance.
Conclusion:
Counseling similar to that employed in other countries can reduce infant exposure to SHS, suggesting generalizability.
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