mHealth Intervention is Effective in Creating Smoke-Free Homes for Newborns: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study in
Shaohua Yu1, Zongshuan Duan2, Pamela B Redmon2
1Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
Scientific Reports
|September 2, 2017
Summary
Mobile-phone interventions significantly boosted smoking cessation rates among fathers and reduced secondhand smoke exposure for mothers and newborns. This approach enhances smoke-free home environments for infants.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- mHealth Interventions
- Smoking Cessation
Background:
- Mobile-phone interventions are effective for smoking cessation.
- Limited research exists on applying these to secondhand smoke (SHS) reduction for parents of newborns.
- Creating smoke-free homes is crucial for infant health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of combined traditional and mobile-phone-based interventions on smoking cessation in fathers.
- To evaluate the impact on reducing SHS exposure for mothers and newborns.
- To promote smoke-free home environments for infants.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial conducted in Changchun, China.
- Intervention group received traditional face-to-face counseling plus mobile-phone-based education.
- Control group received standard care.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher abstinence rates for fathers in the intervention group at 6 and 12 months (adjusted ORs 3.60 and 2.93, respectively).
- Mothers in the intervention group reported significantly reduced SHS exposure at 12 months (adjusted OR 0.53).
- Intervention effectively contributed to smoke-free homes.
Conclusions:
- Combining mHealth interventions with traditional counseling increases male smoking cessation.
- This integrated approach effectively reduces SHS exposure for mothers and newborns.
- The strategy shows promise for establishing smoke-free homes and improving infant health outcomes.
