The Application of Health Psychology to Smoking Cessation within a Deprived London Borough

The objectives of the study were to identify how midwives perceive providing stop smoking advice to pregnant smokers and how pregnant women who smoke perceive stop smoking services. The overall aim was to find methods to improve the uptake of stop smoking services by pregnant women. Three focus groups with midwives and ten semi-structured interviews with pregnant smokers were undertaken. The qualitative data was analysed using Grounded Theory. The perceptions of midwives regarding provision of advice were identified as barriers as well as facilitators and related to outcome of advice, the relationship with clients, personal experiences, attributes, perception of role, the impact of external factors and aspects related to pregnant smokers and pregnancy. Pregnant smokers’ perceived barriers and facilitators to approaching stop smoking services were categorised into areas of smoking behaviour, advice from health professionals, stop smoking services and negative perceptions of pregnant women who smoke. Midwives perceive a greater number of barriers than facilitators to providing stop smoking advice. Although many of these could be overcome by implementing effective mandatory training, other issues such as lack of time have major impacts on midwives’ abilities to promote health. Pregnant smokers tend to have negative expectations of stop smoking services but the experiences of those who have attended the service are positive. Raising awareness of stop smoking support for pregnant women is crucial in improving uptake of the service.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

City University London

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Herberts, C.

• BF Psychology