Abstract
With the aim of preventing children from being exposed to secondhand smoke, we examined to which level lower socio-economic status (SES) households had implemented home smoking rules and the factors that hampered parents in their process of change toward a complete smoke-free home (SFH). We conducted a qualitative study including semi-structured in-depth interviews with 14 parents of young children living in a lower SES neighborhood of a provincial town in the Netherlands. Interview transcripts were subjected to a qualitative content analysis. Three distinct levels of SFH implementation emerged: complete SFH, flexible SFH, and partial SFH. Differences between parents at these three levels essentially concerned: (1) the role of child-related moral considerations in their motivation for an SFH; (2) whether they felt they had the agency to set and enforce home smoking rules; (3) the difficulties they experienced in changing their smoking habit from smoking indoors to smoking outdoors. Parents also had different opinions about the role their children could play in facilitating the parental process of change. We conclude that the current level of SFH implementation may serve as a starting point for developing tailored interventions. Such interventions should probably address other factors than the commonly used awareness–knowledge–commitment approach.
Highlights
Introduction40% of children are exposed to secondhand smoke [1]
Worldwide, 40% of children are exposed to secondhand smoke [1]
Between these three implementation levels, parents essentially differed regarding: (1) the role of child-related moral considerations in their motivation for an smoke-free home (SFH); (2) whether they felt they were in the position to set and enforce home smoking rules; (3) the difficulties they experienced in changing their habit from smoking indoors to smoking outdoors
Summary
40% of children are exposed to secondhand smoke [1]. 28% of the total child mortality can be attributed to exposure to secondhand smoke [1]. Preventing children from being exposed to secondhand smoke could considerably improve their health [4]. Child exposure to secondhand smoke is most likely to happen at home [1,3], especially in lower socioeconomic status (lower socio-economic status (SES)) households in which one or both of the parents smoke [3,5,6]. Initiator of HSRs Content of HSRs. What are the smoking rules in the home?. Are the rules sometimes violated? If yes: By whom? How often does that happen? In what situation?
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