Abstract
A recent Dutch efficacy trial showed the efficacy of a telephone smoking cessation counseling tailored to smoking parents. Currently, it is unknown whether such telephone counseling would be effective under more real-world conditions. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of parent-tailored telephone smoking cessation counseling in a two-arm randomized controlled effectiveness trial and whether the effectiveness depended on the recruitment approaches that were used to recruit parents (mass media vs. health care). In total, 87 parents received either telephone counseling (intervention) or a self-help brochure (control). Parents were asked to complete questionnaires at baseline and three months post-intervention. Results showed that the odds of reporting 7-day point-prevalence abstinence at three months post-intervention was 7.54 higher for parents who received telephone counseling than for parents in the control condition (53.3% vs. 13.2%, 95% CI = 2.49–22.84). Because inclusion was lower than anticipated, interaction-effects of condition and recruitment approach could not be interpreted. The present study demonstrates that the parent-tailored smoking cessation telephone counseling is effective in helping parents to quit smoking. Yet, before large-scale implementation, future research should focus on how recruitment of parents via the recruitment approaches could be improved.
Highlights
Worldwide, children are currently more heavily exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) than any other age group [1]
Results of other RCTs that examined the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions tailored to parents at three months post-intervention were mixed
The interventions that were provided to parents in the other studies included, among others, three telephone counseling sessions [11] or parents were offered to be referred to a quit line [20,31]
Summary
Children are currently more heavily exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) than any other age group [1]. Children’s exposure to SHS predominantly occurs at home where their close relatives (e.g., parents) smoke [1], making it difficult for children in such situations to avoid or protect themselves from the hazards of SHS. There is ample evidence that children’s exposure to SHS can lead to serious short- and long-term health consequences [2,3,4]. Parental smoking cessation is the most effective way to avoid harm to children from exposure to SHS at home [5]. Parental smoking cessation reduces the likelihood that children will start smoking themselves when they are older [6]. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 2730; doi:10.3390/ijerph16152730 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
